Gene's Hunt First Day as DCI
by Philip Glenister tomboy
Summary: Set in 1997 with Gene Hunt newly promoted to DCI by former mentor Harry Woolf when his 'C' Division team must catch corrupt old school copper DCI Gerry Standing who has been in Greater Manchester Police, Salford for most of his career. Based on alternative twists to episodes 1.01, 2.02 and 2.07
1. The New DCI is Gene Hunt

BBC Life on Mars UK/New Tricks crossover: Gene Hunt's First Day as Detective Chief Inspector.

**Summary:** Newly promoted DCI Gene Hunt is asked to go undercover in Greater Manchester Police Stopford House's CID unit to take down an ageing bent Detective Chief Inspector who is known for nearly all the police corruption that's been making the headlines since Gene's childhood in the 1970s using all powers from the Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984.

**Set in 1997 with a twist on episode 1.01, 2.02 and 2.07 getting down to the heart of how Gene Hunt became the DCI you see after he was promoted to DCI by his mentor Harry Woolf, when he spent nearly 15 years in Greater Manchester Police's Stopford House since 1982 as a teenage police officer. Pre Ashes to Ashes.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

MONDAY AFTERNOON

"Gene? Got a moment?" Gene Hunt looked up at DCI Woolf, standing in the doorway to his office. "Of course, Sir." He gestured to the visitor's chair.

"Gene, Harry. Gene," Mr. Woolf said, sitting down in front of the desk showing an ancient bulky but cream Microsoft Windows 97 screen. "Same rank now, you know."

"I know, Sir. I still haven't got used to it." Gene placed his coffee carefully on the coaster and waited, wondering what Harry, his mentor wanted. The man was assessing his desk: uncluttered as ever. Gene had no complaints about the new clean-desk policy, in fact he flattered himself that it stemmed from something he himself had mentioned to his mentor in one of their monthly meetings. Harry took a moment to arrange his pens on young Hunt's desk, then he looked up and spoke.

"Gerry Standing, Gene Hunt. DCI, 'A' Division. Heard of him?"

"'A' Division? In the centre?" Gene thought for a moment. He kept in touch with the careers of all the DCIs; when he was told nearly six months ago of his unexpected promotion, he had updated his information, wondering which one he might replace when the official notification came through. He'd been betting on that fool Sweetman, but in the event he'd been given a new role, a desk job, because - he suspected - they did not trust him not to lose control again. He had thought the job a very suitable reward at the time, recognition of his particular skills, but now he wasn't so sure. Boredom was creeping in, although he would never admit as much to Harry Woolf, who was still waiting for a reply.

"Oh yeah," Gene said at last. "Didn't he shoot an unarmed youth without issuing a proper warning first?"

"That's right, Eugene. Two years ago. Sloppy procedure – typical of the man, by the way; reflects badly on all of us. And that's only one incident. They managed to put a good spin on it at the time, not too much damage in the papers, but there are too many instances of poor policing for it to be ignored any longer. We - that is the Chief Superintendent and I - want him removed."

Young Gene Hunt felt a small thrill of - what, anticipation? Fear? He put his pen down carefully, automatically straightening his files on the desk. "With respect, Sir, I've only just started here. I'm in the middle of a programme to re-assess our entire policy on forensic evaluation of evidence in situ."

Woolf coughed. "Er, no, sorry, Gene. You misunderstood me. Whilst I quite agree you would make an admirable replacement for Standing, we mustn't get ahead of ourselves. No, if it were that simple we would have put you in there as soon as your promotion came through. Standing's Superintendent – Rathbone, odious man – would be only too glad to get rid of him, but there are procedures to be followed." He smiled ruefully. "Only right of course. Can't get rid of a man just because you don't like him."

Woolf smoothed his waistcoat; nearly 34 year old Gene watched as the fastidiously scrubbed nails moved over the buttons. "No, despite his rather - primitive - methods," Woolf continued, "Standing suspiciously has a good record, apart from that one black mark. Remarkably few complaints given the reports that we hear. His division has an adequate clear-up rate and good intelligence on what's coming up, but he can't be allowed to carry on beating up suspects. He even hit a witness last month - a woman! Put her in the cells - to 'cool down' apparently."

Harry Woolf leaned forward, fixing a leather clad Hunt with his eyes. "The public are beginning to take notice of the way we do things, Gene. Policing has to progress, and be seen to progress."

"I completely agree with you, Sir. So where do I come in...Guv? If you're not going to replace Standing?" Gene Hunt couldn't quite see where this was going at present. It didn't seem likely Gerry Standing was asking for someone to write him a set of procedures.

"Oh we're going to replace him, Gene." DCI Harry Woolf smiled conspiratorially, picking up a pen and sitting back. "We're going to get hard evidence of the way he does things and present it to the Chief Constable in a very public manner, so that he has to do something about it."

Gene Hunt considered the idea for a moment. "That would require a thorough investigative process, Sir," he replied thoughtfully, tapping a pencil against his teeth. "It might take six months. Perhaps more, if it has to be done quietly."

"And that's where you come in, Gene." He gave Hunt a bright, encouraging smile. "It would mean going undercover again. It's essential we take a methodical approach – well I don't have to tell you that, do I, Gene? Think you can handle it?"

Gene stared at his erstwhile superior in shock and well-concealed fear. "Sir, I would be the first person to volunteer, as you know. Always. But after the last time, the doctors said if I went undercover again I was at risk of 'severe and permanent PTSD', which I understand would mean I could never work undercover again." He moved his right hand under the desk, hiding the way his fingers had convulsed around the pencil, then swallowed hard and continued. "I'm not proud of that, Sir, but I think it means I'm not the right man for the job."

"Genie, Gene." Harry Woolf leaned over the desk again as the blue eyed young man fought the urge to lean back. "You're the best man for the job. You have all the attributes we need – you're analytical, professional, tenacious, meticulous: and you have more experience in this sort of operation than anyone else in 'C' Division."

Gene Hunt continued to look doubtful. "But I'm of equal rank to Standing, Sir. And he has - what - twenty four years' seniority? What could I do? I'd be just an acne covered youth to him!"

"Standing's DI is about to retire. You'd go in as his replacement, Gene. It's not that long ago, you remember how to do it. And you'd still get your DCI salary of course." Woolf had an answer for everything, Hunt thought. He was starting to feel pressured again, always a bad sign.

The advantage of going in as a DI was that he would be close to Standing, DCI Harry Woolf explained. The man was known to operate a relatively informal hierarchy, preferring to rule his domain by sheer force of personality. "To go in as anything less would take too much paperwork and permissions Gene, and more acting from you."

"How do you mean, acting, Sir? Er, Harry?" Gene asked, puzzled.

"Simply that you've been warned in the past about failing to follow orders, Gene," Woolf said briskly. "I'm sure you remember what a disaster that was six months ago; especially for the hostage."

Young Gene's face tightened with the effort not to react. A man of his abilities, he thought defensively, should not be expected to take orders from idiots, whatever their rank. But it was his own failure to obey, he had eventually come to understand, that had been one of the key reasons for the whole debacle.

Belatedly, he understood the point his mentor Woolf was making, and nodded fractionally.

"So you see. Now, Standing may have what appears to us to be a dangerously relaxed attitude to departmental discipline, but he hasn't reached the rank of DCI without knowing how to deal with insubordination. There's no point in setting all this up if you're going to have him throw you out in the first five minutes. He's likely to accept a more ... independent ... attitude from an Inspector than from a Sergeant. If you're a Sergeant you have to do exactly as you're told." Woolf looked at him dryly. "So you go in as a DI."

"I'd need a few days to think about it, Sir."

"Of course. But don't take too long about it, Gene." Harry Woolf stood up, replaced his pens in his top pocket and moved towards the door. "It wouldn't look good to turn down an opportunity like this. Do this right and you win the prize, Gene. Your own Division at 34. Even I had to wait until I was thirty-nine."

He turned, his hand on the door. "It won't be easy, Gene. It will be like going back in time to the 70s, going over there. But keep your eye on the prize, and when you succeed, you can come back to C Division knowing you've made a difference."

Alone in his office, Hunt picked up his neglected coffee, started some overdue Microsoft Word reports and considered the proposal. Woolf's had not disagreed with his assessment of six months for the job, he realised. Even though it would not be his first undercover operation by a long, long way, it was likely to be the longest, and therefore - despite his Guv's flattering dismissal - the most dangerous to his mental health.

Although he usually tried to ignore the fact, he had been forced to recognise on a number of occasions that his mental health was not as robust as he might wish. On his ignominious return from the Davis operation six months ago, he had been sent to a DSI Handley for assessment. Much of what the Super had told him had failed to penetrate his lingering confusion, but he did remember the Super warning him in the strongest terms that if he experienced any more such episodes of bullying corrupt ageing police officers he might on admin duties. Not just no more undercover, but no more street work.

And he knew it could happen. It had happened, briefly but very publicly, on his very first day back after the Davis operation. He had suffered short nightmares throughout his time at home and the tough comprehensive school, he attended in September 1974-1979, although he'd managed to hide those by taking a lot of punishments for day-dreaming.

And always – still - in the back of his mind lurked the shadow of the lost time when he was twelve, after a bout of bullying in the playground during 1975. That episode would never be more than a blur of lights, sounds and half-remembered voices, and it had lasted six weeks. He had read the - his - old 1988 case notes, of course; Woolf's predecessor had sent for them before putting Gene into his very first undercover operation as a newly promoted DI.

Twenty two years ago now; it didn't seem possible. It had been like reading about someone else; there had been no spark of memory at all on 1975 when Gene was just 12 years of age.

Six months ago he had been thoroughly unnerved to find the same sense of distance on reading the notes about the hostage situation in the bank. He didn't remember anything after following Davis into the building.

Still, he thought, sipping his cold coffee, my own division, at only thirty-four. That was attractive; a prize indeed, surely worth a risk or two. He knew that Harry would, as each time before, provide full backup and a complete story for his new identity. All he had to do was learn it, and become that person for a time. He'd done it before, and he knew he could do it again.

Putting aside his fears for the moment, he stood up and paced his office, thinking hard. Eventually, noting the light failing outside, he decided to go home and do some more detailed thinking and planning, putting together in Microsoft Word 97 some of the little everyday details that would support the cover story. It was a pity Peter had moved on, he thought as he drove home in his Ford Granada Mk3 through the light early evening traffic; it would have been good to talk to him about this. They could still talk on the phone or e-mail, of course, but it wasn't the same.

Unusually for him, Gene Hunt had found it relatively easy to develop a rapport with Peter Cox, although he had never been quite sure why. Despite his profession, Pete had a vivid imagination, and soon after arriving in Hyde he had enjoyed helping Gene to plan the details of an operation. They'd worked together over a week or so of evenings, concocting his Detective Inspector's character's history and a stock of anecdotes for awkward moments.

As he prepared his dinner, chopping and mixing with a confidence and abandon he wished he could bring to other areas of his life, DCI Gene Hunt thought that if only Peter had a phone in his flat, he might have talked to him about this latest operation. But the phone was outside the landlady's door, and she objected to people standing there chatting. That was exactly what Gene Hunt needed at the moment, he realised. A chat with Peter Cox would clarify his thoughts and cheer him up into the bargain, but in the six months since he'd left they'd only met once and spoken on the phone three or four times.

Clearing away his dinner plate he vowed to phone Peter soon; it would be good to catch up with him again. It was time he took a few days off; perhaps if he decided not to take this assignment they could get together next week some time.

The dreams started again that night.

* * *

MONDAY NIGHT

34 year old Gene Hunt lies alone in his bed, groaning as he twists and turns. It takes him to a memory of 1970 when he was just seven years of age, witnessing a Woman's Police Constable be murdered by DCI Standing's now retired Detective Inspector.

It's all green. There are lots of leaves. Little Gene walks secretly through the undergrowth; he knows he shouldn't be here. The trees are ever so big, all the way up to the sky and down to the ground.

_"__Mummy will be cross with me, there's all mud on my special wedding shoes. They're very smart, wedding shoes, they're not like ordinary shoes, they have buckles on. Billy next door says they look silly but Mummy said they don't, they look smart. But she will be cross with me about the mud. I don't know where she is."_

_Gene is a bit nervous; the trees really are very big._

_"I came up on the train yesterday; my sister got married this afternoon. Julie, remember?" He adds, with an odd expression on his face. "The one who used to fancy you? Well, there was a bit of a to-do because my Mum's Aunt Flo said she shouldn't be wearing white, but Julie said to hell with that, it's 1970 for God's sake, no-one 'keeps themselves for their wedding night' any more. I thought old Flo was going to combust, she went so red. So, how have you been?" said Mrs. Hunt._

_"__I don't know where Daddy is, as well. Daddy, come back. Are you hiding? Where are you?"_

_"__There's a lady, look. Hallo lady! The lady is running. She's a pretty lady, she's got a red dress on. You can get dolls with red dresses. I haven't got one, because I'm a boy and boys don't play with dolls. But Billy next door's sister, she's got a doll with a red dress on. I don't like it, it's even bigger than my toy bronze Cortina. Dolls should be little."_

_"__Billy says his sister's doll comes alive in the night-time and it's going to get me one night. I don't think I like dolls. Mummy says dolls can't do that really because they're not alive, but Billy says this one is."_

_"__The pretty lady is running past all the big trees. The sunshine makes pretty patterns on the leaves. I don't think the lady likes the patterns. She's running. Nice lady, wait for me! I think I'm lost. Is this lost? Mummy said if I'm lost I've got to ask a lady."_

_Gene keeps walking, looking for the lady. He's too little to be here by himself. He knows he shouldn't be here. "Red dress lady, where are you? Are you playing a game? It's a noisy game, pretty red dress lady, your Mummy will tell you off."_

_Gene Hunt sits upright in his bed, muttering in agitation. His eyes are open, he looks all around, but he doesn't see his bedroom. After a few more moments he sinks back onto his pillows, still murmuring incoherently._

_He's amongst the trees again; the sunshine-dappled leaves move like shadows on water._

_"__You shouldn't make so much noise, pretty lady. Wait for me, I don't know where to go. Am I lost?"_

_7 year old Gene Hunt stumbles on a root; he can't watch the lady in the red dress and the ground at the same time. He's getting a bit frightened now._

_"__Daddy! Hallo Daddy, where were you? Did you find the lady? I think she's scared, Daddy, she was making noises. Can we find the lady now Daddy? Shall we take her home?"_

_"__Daddy? Daddy, I think I'm lost. Wait for me, Daddy."_

_"__Daddy, come back, Daddy. I want Mummy. I'm lost."_

_"__Daddy? Daddy!"_

Gene Hunt lets out a stifled cry. He sits up again, moves his arms over his head and cowers down. As he shouts "No!" he wakes himself slightly, then he lies down and curls up in the bed, hands over his face. "No, please don't," he whispers.

* * *

TUESDAY MORNING

Gene Hunt left the office mid-morning, walking through the back streets to a phone card box well away from the station.

He'd decided he needed advice on exactly how much danger he might be putting himself in, mentally, by taking on this assignment. During the course of the morning he'd considered various options; he had finally decided it was best to go back to Handley herself and as soon as possible, but he didn't want anyone at the station telling Woolf about it.

"I'm sorry Sir, but Superintendent Handley is – unavailable – this week, and her colleague DI Whittaker is very busy; I can't just..."

"Please," he insisted as politely as he could manage. "It has to be this week. Check my records if you like; you'll see DSI Handley fitted me in at short notice last time." He heard the edge of tiredness and fear in his voice, but he forced himself to relax his grip on the phone. He spoke again more smoothly. "I'm sorry, I know it's difficult. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't really important." disguising their meeting as a fake General Practitioner's appointment to avoid suspicion.

Finally, after speaking to Harry Woolf personally, he got a private appointment, early in the morning in two days' time, and noted it carefully in his Filofax. Then he walked back to the station via a newsagents', planning to use the purchase of a paper as his excuse for being out. As he entered the station, he was dismayed to see Harry Woolf standing near the lift. Hoping it was just coincidence, Gene Hunt held the newspaper up in greeting and explanation, and smiled briefly as he kept walking.

"Ah, Gene, good," Woolf said, walking towards him. "They said you wouldn't have gone far. We need to talk; it won't take long." He gestured up the stairs.

As he followed his Guv up to his office, Gene Hunt tried to think of valid reasons to delay answering the question he knew was coming. He really needed his mentor's advice on the matter before committing himself.

"Right then Eugene," said Harry Woolf briskly as they sat down. "We need to get the paperwork moving if we're to get you in as Standing's DI. If we miss that window it will be a lot harder to place you in 'A' Division without arousing suspicion. So, when would you be ready to go? I thought next Monday? Gives you almost a week to prepare."

DCI Gene Hunt stared at him, surprised. "Monday? Sir, I thought I had a few days to think about this?"

"I'm sorry, Genie, but really, how much thinking does it take? This is a golden opportunity for a bright young man like you. On the spot when the next DCI job comes up. And you're going to make it come up! To be honest, Gene, I didn't expect to see you dragging your heels like this. Modern policing needs officers who can seize opportunities. Carpe Diem, you know!" He sat back comfortably and watched Gene's blue piercing eyes focussed on Woolf's hands.

Gene put them in his pockets and mirrored Harry's posture in a conscious attempt to placate and look relaxed. He thought carefully and then said "As I explained to you yesterday, Sir, the doctors told me they were very concerned about my mental health when I came back from the Davis job. Now, as I believe I also said yesterday, I'm not proud of that, not in the slightest, but it is a fact. I would like to talk to you before we finalise this." Thinking fast, he added, "I could probably get an appointment for Thursday or Friday's meeting minutes."

"Genie, this is ... "

Woolf ignored him for once. "Sir, with respect, I have to point out to you that I may not be the best man for the job; I wouldn't want to jeopardise an operation of this importance by making a complete idiot of myself and ruining everything like last time." Even just thinking about the last time brought him out in a cold sweat. Apparently he'd gone berserk, banging desperately on walls and crying to return to C Division. It might even have been funny if the hostage hadn't been stabbed and almost died as a result.

"Well, I'm disappointed, Eugene," Woolf said, his tone cool as he stood up. "I didn't expect this; I thought you would leap at this opportunity. There's a whole Division out there stuck in a time warp, and we - yes, we, Gene - can help them, bring them into line with modern practice. I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't think you were ideally suited to the job." He walked to the door, and held it open for Hunt. "You've got till tomorrow, Gene. I need police officers who know where they're going. Men and ladies who want to make a difference."

Finding himself abruptly in the corridor, DCI Gene Hunt walked back to his office in a state of shock and sends DCI Harry Woolf his decision by the brand new Microsoft Outlook e-mail application immediately.

* * *

TUESDAY AFTERNOON

Back at his computer desk, Gene Hunt put his head in his hands and concentrated on breathing slowly and deeply. He was going to have to give Woolf his answer before he talked to Whittaker, and there was clearly no real choice but to say yes. He thought about that, and decided that if Whittaker turned out to be strongly against the idea, he would just have to back out again. Harry as his Guv would be furious, he knew, but he'd have to agree it was better than Gene damaging his mental health permanently on the back of ageing 1970s CID police officers. Wouldn't he? Gene sat up and stared at the keyboard, annoyed with himself for letting Harry Woolf put him in this position.

As they eat pizza and drink red wine, the conversation flows easily from one idea to another, just as it always did. Peter Cox outlines some of the new computerised search methods he is developing with the new team; Gene interrupts excitedly with ideas for using those methods.

"So, if we had one of your new – databases – and If we labelled each crime (can we do that?) with the method and the suspects and anything else we thought might be relevant, we could analyse things, understand who's doing what and why?" His many contacts with police psychologists have given new DCI Gene Hunt insights he would prefer not to have, but professionally he's intrigued by the possibilities.

"I know Harry's helped you, brought you along, all of that. But you've repaid him, more than repaid him. You don't owe him anything, Gene. He owes you. He took all the credit on that thing you did last year, the warehouse one: to hear him talk you weren't even there. I mean it Gene, the Guv's not doing you any favours, if he ever did. Have some faith in yourself; you don't need him half as much as he needs you." said DC Peter Cox pointing out that Gene doesn't need to be under DCI Harry Woolf's shadow all the time even though he's his mentor when he was a Detective Inspector from 1988-1996, a result of rosing up the ranks very young since Gene Hunt was a 19 year old Police Constable in 1982 with the eager to please outlook, the golden boy of 'C' Division and one the Manchester underworld were starting to know the name of.

He watches Gene Hunt buttoning his leather jacket. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said. It wasn't meant to be against you, honestly. I just..." cautiously looking at the baby faced newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector, green with envy going undercover as one of Standing's goons; though he'll be the youngest officer ever there in the old A Division department at his tender age of 34 as most were born in the 1930s, 1940s or even early 1950s; a different generation entirely.

"It's OK, Peter, it doesn't matter. Really, don't worry about it." said Gene grinning "It's only our Guv trying to look out for me as I've worked with him for 8 years and he taught me all the new methods, even when I was a lanky kid in uniform back in '82."

A memory from Gene's 1970s childhood sparks, when he was bullied for dreaming of becoming a Detective Chief Inspector that would one day eradicate the Sweeney style of policing from the police service for good with a set of new regulations, laws and reforms designed to do so.

**_Flashback to 1971_**

_The other boy laughs. "Balls. He was a wide boy, your Dad, didn't you know? A spiv. Born for the bent coppers black market, my Dad says."_

_"So?" a eight year old Gene Hunt sneered determinedly "When I'm a grown up DCI, twenty six years from now, those nasty bullies in blue will be caught in the newspapers for police brutality and my CID team won't be the ones who cut corners on big investigations!" _

_"Ha! In your dreams, Genie especially as you're named after a glam rock star's stupid song!" the bully teased "Oh, David Bowie, is a cop's coward!" he chanted towards the blonde long haired little boy with sweet blue eyes; who admired his daddy's new Ford Cortina Mk3 GXL saloon with the poshest vinyl roof and twin headlights."The Gene Genie lives off his custardly back!" taunted the larger black haired bully whom was a year older at nine years old._

* * *

WEDNESDAY MORNING

DCI Gene Hunt arrived in the office to find a stack of retractable folders on his desk. He had got halfway through them on an initial scan through the scanner plugged in behind the big desktop computer drive, sorting and discarding, when Harry Woolf paused briefly in the doorway.

"Gene, I'm going to be working with you personally on the cover for this one. I've got Records started, and in the meantime you and I need to construct and polish a background. There isn't much time, so we'll start this afternoon, usual place." They arranged a time, and Hunt went back to leafing carefully through the piles of papers and photographs yet to be archived on to the Greater Manchester Police's brand new website. The golden age of the Internet had arrived.

One picture made him stop and pull it out of the folder to study more closely. It was a twenty four-year-old press cutting from the Manchester Gazette. _The newly-promoted DCI Gerry Standing, pictured above, takes over 'A' Division in the city centre. Standing, 40, joined the police after National Service, and has been stationed in Manchester for most of his career. 'A' Division was previously ... _DCI Gene Hunt continued reading the press cutting from 1973 as he was getting an idea of what DCI's in the Seventies could be capable of dangerously abusing their powers. Gene Hunt was only a little 10 year old at the time, but had a strong idea of how not to do policing after getting a glimpse from his Dad's newspapers at the time.

So this was Gerry Standing. The picture was presumably taken in the man's office, and posters and trophies littered the background. The man looked frankly terrifying: the idea, he imagined, had been to show Standing checking through the files in his new department, but something about his attitude and grim expression indicated more interest in checking through the photographer's teeth with a capable-looking fist.

* * *

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

Meeting Harry Woolf as arranged, Gene Hunt was relieved to find that there was no need for him to perjure himself by expressly agreeing to the operation; the Guv simply took his continued co-operation for granted.

They walked slowly along the path, shoes scuffing gently on the neatly tended grass.

Gene understood that it was important not to raise suspicions in 'A' Division. With Woolf's signature on the transfer papers, no-one was going to question that he was who he said he was, but they did have to overcome the odd circumstance of his being immediately available.

"As you say, Gene, it doesn't generally look good; it suggests under-utilisation in the current department, which is not something to recommend an officer to his new superiors. So, I thought we'd use 'Short-term desk assignment following injury in the line of duty.'" He glanced at Hunt. "It's pretty accurate anyway, so there shouldn't be a problem. Records will be able to come up with something to back that up. We're using the name Phil Goode, by the way."

"Yes, Sir. Er, I had actually been thinking about that. It being short-term, I mean." stammered DCI Gene Hunt in nerves even though he's been working with Harry Woolf since he first started in 1982, when his Guv became a Detective Sargeant at the time and A Division still hasn't changed since then.

"No need to worry about that; it's just paperwork. The job is there as long as you want it, you know that. You're doing wonderful work, Gene; we're all so proud of the way you've come back after counselling sessions r.e., er... your tragic childhood of the 1970s." beamed DCI Harry Woolf brightly as it was only a year ago that Gene was still his Detective Inspector.

"No, I mean - I think I want it to be only short term. I'm very happy with it at the moment, but I really do want to get back to an operational role." said DCI Gene Hunt uncertainly chewing on a turquoise Berol pen cap with teeth marks on the pocket attachment.

DCI Harry Woolf stopped and looked at him sharply. "Stick with it, Eugene. You're shaping policy, designing the future of progressive policing. It's the most important job anyone can do. I'm only taking you out for this role because I know you're the best at it."

Harry had chosen the place for its tranquillity and for the fact that there was little chance of being noticed or over-heard.

"Always bear in mind, Gene: Standing is not a stupid man. Crude, of course, but not actually stupid. You'll need to get close to him, socialise with him sometimes. And that doesn't mean going to the opera once a month. You have to understand, at 'A' Division it's like being on a different planet. They simply don't socialise as we would understand the term." Reaching the wall, Woolf picked off a trailing stem of ivy before turning left towards a more neglected area. He looked at Gene Hunt for a moment. "Standing is a drinker and a complete philistine. My information is that his intellectual and spiritual life consists almost solely of drinking every night in a public house near to his station called The Railway Arms. He also follows football."

"Great, I'm going to a football match! I haven't been since... I haven't been for years." Gene caught himself, realising he was sounding overwrought. He stared hard at an arrangement of flowers in a small vase near the path and willed himself to calm down. "I support Manchester City, a blue. Will there be officers whom are Man City fans like myself?"

"Only two, Williams and Standing." Woolf looked sideways at him. "Football would be beyond the call of duty," he added dryly.

"But the pub, Gene Hunt," he continued. "It's Standing's second office. So just occasionally, you might have to go along too. It would look suspicious if you didn't. Don't worry, no-one's going to expect you to go every night. Well, obviously. But even an oaf like Standing must make conversation sometimes." Woolf paused for a moment, concentrating on avoiding a patch of longer grass. "And when he's drunk is a good time to get him talking. Which means you have to start the ball rolling."

Gene thought about it. Getting people talking had not involved much sharing in previous operations. A curt "you don't need to know that" answered most questions in the circles undercover officers normally moved in. But in a pub, there were bound to be times when the question of background and family etc might come up, and he would have to have answers ready.

"I know you haven't done an operation quite like this one before, Gene," Woolf said. "Obviously, when you go undercover amongst our ... criminal brethren, it's considered a character deficit to talk too much about yourself. But this is different." Hunt could feel the man looking sideways at him, assessing his reaction. "Don't worry, Genie, I know you can handle it," Woolf continued. "A young man of your skills, you could run rings round those idiots in 'A' Division even if you were lying in a coma!" Harry laughed dryly at his own joke, then continued more seriously. "We need to start work on your cover in detail, Gene. You have to have a whole life planned, ready to lay out pieces casually when someone asks. Or drop snippets into conversation. Some of it will need paperwork, but a lot of it is stuff that wouldn't be in either computer or police records. Where you went in your Gap Year, for example." Harry Woolf as Gene's Guv ensured that the made up record sticks to his 1963 date of birth, but with the day and month changed for undercover purposes.

Gene thought tightly "Before I was a Detective Inspector for CID in Greater Manchester Police's A Division; I was a taxi driver driving this red 1984 Ford Sierra Mk1 GL, A479 KJM for Green Taxis and my ex wife is a deadbeat mum with two kids under eight."

DCI Harry Woolf coughed awkwardly "The fewer similarities between your cover and your own life, the better it is. Easier to avoid careless slips. So - as we seem to be on the subject - schooldays."

"I went to Telford First School." said Gene carefully typing to reveal the undercover name of his primary school in the early to mid 1970s and finds a different answer for what happens in 1981 aged eighteen.

"Gap year, I was working in film publication; but dropped it due to poor deadlines and shoddy advertising." said Gene still typing with the keyboard clicking away on Microsoft Word 1997; this is something they must be careful with as once saved and printed, it'll need to go into Gene's undercover file.

Gene always hated 'Brenda', preferring to use his own mother's name, but with a different surname, rather his own Hunt.

By the time DCI Woolf felt they'd done enough, Gene possessed a fair idea of who "Phil Goode" was, and how he'd spent his life so far, starting with his childhood with a mother who'd always done her best for him. He decided to write up a summary on his laptop still with the original floppy disk, this document is saved on as soon as he got home, with cross-references to the more detailed notes which he would prepare over the next few days.

Peter Cox tries to win him round. "Look, what I said earlier, what do you think about coming down to have a look at the database and e-mail stuff? It's the future, Gene."

The comprehensive school in Manchester – Gene'd eventually persuaded them to let him go back to his old school at their Sixth Form for the new GCSEs during 1988 aged nearly 25 – it was not a time he liked to think about very often, although it occurred to him occasionally that it might have shaped the way he reacted to people, certain suspects and events.

_"__And just 'cause you do your homework doesn't make you cleverer than us, neither, you fucking tosser!"_ shouted the younger pupils whom were a good 10-15 years younger than DS Gene Hunt as some had brand new Nintendo Gameboys, BMX bicycles and the biggest crazy hairstyles.

_"__Why you here then, wanker? Your other school chucked you out? Not as clever as they thought?" teased the Year 7-9 pupils towards Gene who was 10-15 years older than them and were either a twinkle or in nappies when he was growing up in the 1970s-early 1980s._

_"Just got to do what you're told, Genie, and don't do no more homework." ordered the obese bully chomping on McDonalds Big Macs and large fries in his hands to his little gang of minions._

* * *

THURSDAY MORNING

By the time he'd managed to get himself awake and out of bed, it was still only 6:00 am; plenty of time to have breakfast and get to Greater Manchester Police's C Division station.

Those few friends who had stayed from his Greater Manchester Police Training College days of 1979-1981, were unfortunately too busy to meet the newest Detective Chief Inspector on the block, even answered their letters, e-mails, texts or returned their calls; it was the nature of their policing career. All were good police officers fighting a bad crime wave war in various ways.

Of course, if Gene Hunt proved strong enough to see off ageing coppers who had their last prime in the early 1980s, especially their horribly violent DCI bully; the thought was quite cheery.

Gene had to wait a few minutes before being called in by DCI Harry Woolf. He paced around the Custody suite, clearly irritating the receptionist; there was a distinct bite to her tone as she asked if he would like some coffee. Resisting the urge to snap at her, he decided instead to try out the idea that had struck him on the way here.

It gave him a small boost of confidence to take into a meeting he was more nervous about than he wanted to admit.

"Furthermore, that this investigation involves going 'under cover' and hence a certain amount of personal risk, both mental and physical." DCI Harry Woolf stopped talking as the receptionist entered the office.

"Can I get the gentleman some coffee, Sir?" asked Susan the custody desk officer.

"Mr. Hunt?" she asked.

"Er, no thank you, I'm fine." hesitated DCI Gene Hunt eating a packet of Walkers crisps.

"Just for me then please Susan, and hold my calls on answer machine for half an hour." requested DCI Harry Woolf. "You have unrealistically high expectations of yourself and of the world about you, Gene, to which nothing, and no-one, can measure up. Those expectations need to be addressed and managed before you can begin to consider yourself ready for further operations."

Gene interrupted picking up his Ford executive saloon keys "I used to think that was what I wanted; you know, organising things at the centre. Designing procedures, determining best practice. But this was my dream as a kid. And I have done this kind of job before. Many times."

"For a start, she feels there's some unresolved business about your father, although apparently you refused to discuss the matter with her. However, she suggests that in the main it's simply self-hate, probably caused by a traumatic incident in your past. Specifically," Woolf said severely, looking at him over his mug "The episode when you were twelve in 1975."

* * *

THURSDAY MORNING

Woolf nodded. "We're at Item Two, Gene. Mark, if you'd like to lead off?"

The meeting seemed to drag on longer than usual, although Woolf took them through the agenda with his usual brisk efficiency. Knowing he was not going to be here when the audits, overviews and other operations were implemented made it hard to remain focussed, and as the talk continued into the second hour, Gene Hunt felt his attention drifting. He really needed to talk to someone about his ideas for the "personality change", but he was on his own. He was used to that, of course, especially since Peter had moved on, but it didn't make it any easier. Yet again, he wished he could phone Peter, but Peter unfortunately didn't have the sort of boss who allowed personal calls at work.

A sudden shuffling around the table brought him back to the present. He looked around, hoping he hadn't missed anything important. People were discreetly collecting up papers and putting away pens, as Woolf spoke briskly.

"OK then, that wraps it up for today, thank you everybody. Same time next week. Gene, if you could just stay a moment?"

In the end he stood up and picked up his folders.

"Leave those with me Sam, it will save me collecting them next week," Woolf said, holding out a hand towards a 28 year old Detective Constable Sam Tyler, who would be Gene's esteemed colleague in the future, it had been a couple of years since they last saw each other.

Gene gave his old friend the folders with some reluctance – he would have liked to know who they were going to, and hand them over himself – but he did not argue.

When he returned to his desk, someone had scribbled him a note: "Records rang, can you go down there as soon as possible. Problem with a name or e-mail account."

* * *

Gene peered cautiously round the door to the Computer Records Department.

"We were expecting you here half an hour ago, Sir. Mr. Woolf said this was very important; I've got someone waiting specially." said Susan, a pretty young woman with flowing blonde hair and earrings who was sat with Gene at the Compaq computer desktop over an important Microsoft Word document. She was 21 years of age with a thirteen year gap, but ensured order around the suites packed with these creamy desktop computers inside each one per police officer.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I've been in a meeting the past two hours with DCI Woolf and he didn't mention it." said Gene nearly sucking his thumb and fiddling with his long mullet hairstyle.

"That's as may be Sir, but we need to know what name you're going to be using. It's quite ridiculous leaving it this late to inform us." She looked disdainful at his lack of foresight. "We can catch up with the computer records later, but you must have your badge by Monday. Wait there a minute please." she gestured to DCI Gene Hunt typing in the all important details and attaching a copy to his e-mail inbox.

What was it about him that made a 21-year-old female computer clerk think she could insult a newly promoted DCI and get away with it, he wondered, irritated. He sat down to wait, tapping his red Berol Handwriting pen on the chair impatiently.

"Well, yeah, didn't you know?" Susan looks at him in surprise. "It's not all updated automatically on the computer, mate! In fact some of it never gets on the computer at all."

Not on the computer?" DCI Gene Hunt is confused now; he somehow thought everything was on the computer.

"Well, obviously mate, none of the really important stuff's on there, can't have all the geeks reading it." She waves a hand airily at the door behind him. "But what we do down here is, we keep logs on the computer of all the jobs you've been on. Or, should I say, the ones you are going on! See, all your time has to be accounted for, so's when you go for a promotion they can see what you've been doing, right?" The young lady grins encouragingly when she demonstrates a Microsoft Excel timesheet to the newest and coolest Detective Chief Inspector on the block.

"Makes a bit of a mockery of 'undercover', though, don't you think?" Gene went on, "if all your time away is logged as undercover in that Excel spreadsheet program for any junior officer to find!" noticing any flaws he may find in the sample Microsoft Excel spreadsheet demonstrated.

"So what we do is, we record jobs. Copy them from other officers usually, sometimes change a few details, you know how it goes. But it means you end up with a complete record, so your casual observer can see how our new Excel timesheets would work." The chatty Information Technology department lady of C Division in Greater Manchester Police carried on in her cheery way with DCI Gene Hunt. "Different university, mate. All Oxbridge, that lot. UMIST, me - Computer Sciences. Did a bit of programming for my project, decided that was the future, and here I am."

Gene feels faintly uncomfortable for some reason. "Erm, thanks, but don't worry on my account." Perhaps he just isn't used to people being friendly. "Anyway, DCI Woolf sent me down. I need to get some papers for a job I'm going on next month. He says you've had all the details."

Once, years ago when he first joined the Force in 1982, a colleague, braver than the others or perhaps just drunk, had said to him "You're so lucky, Gene, you've only got to smile at women and they melt all over the floor. But then you ruin it, you open your cold arrogant mouth and they freeze up quicker than Christmas. Be nice to them, Gene! Nice is not weak; nice is good."

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt, he thought, if while he was at 'A' Division with Standing's more primitive people, he were to smile more. In fact, from what he had seen this morning, it might positively help. Providing there were women in the department of course, which didn't seem too likely.

DCI Gene Hunt always has a spot for a sexy smile, but this seemed less than probable when he'll be working with an old school and punch happy Detective Chief Inspector who's been in the post for twenty four years.

* * *

THURSDAY EVENING

DCI Hunt still had a lot of work to do on learning the cover story; perhaps using a slightly different accent, but he was just starting to realise how much effort that would take.

Gene at work was going to be the man he had always wanted to be: still careful with detail - picky, as someone on the receiving end once described it; always highly professional and concerned with best practice; but more flexible and human with it. All in all a better police officer, if he could manage it.

* * *

FRIDAY MORNING

Seeing the sunshine outside as he emerged from the stairwell, he decided to go for a short walk before heading back to his desk on the computer. Walking around the tidy streets of Hyde, he saw faces of the other pedestrians, trying to spot who was confident and comfortable in themselves, and who was not, and what the visible clues were. It was in the walk, he decided, the angle of the hips and even the tilt of the head. Confident people had a loose, easy walk and they looked straight ahead as they walked, meeting others' eyes calmly.

Gene still wasn't sure if he could manage that, but with the kind of response he'd got from Susan and the girl in Computer Records, he wondered if the confidence might develop on a sort of feedback loop. Not that he would become involved with anyone from the station of course - he had very strong views on mixing work and private life - and he couldn't have a serious relationship with anyone, as he would need to be telling her lies about almost everything, starting with his name and date of birth.

Sitting down to watch the end of the News in the safe flat, he did his best not to calculate the days since he had last spoken to Pete, nor the hours until he would meet his temporary new DCI.

Gene spent his normal morning in the office tidying his desk. The case review files had gone to Harry after the team meeting yesterday. Only the procedure templates and forensic techniques exploratory papers remained, together with some ideas he'd scribbled down for a forensics competition Peter Cox had dreamed up months ago. Those he decided to keep to himself, but most of it he was happy to leave in the out-tray for DCI Harry Woolf to re-assign.

Looking through the results of six months' careful work, he printed copies of some of the papers he was leaving, in case he needed to prove ownership of the ideas later. It might help to persuade Harry Woolf he'd done his bit here and deserved permanent reassignment to operations. By the time his Guv put his head round the door at 11:30, Hunt was nearly finished. He looked up in surprise. "Sir?"

"Ah, Gene, still here. All set then? Good. Three o'clock in my office please, Gene. I won't keep you long; I dare say you'd like to get off early for once." Woolf chuckled dryly.

Hunt's heart sank. "Sir, is that necessary? I was hoping... erm, what I mean is, I thought we'd sorted everything out the key points on Wednesday. And I've spent quite a lot of time filling in the details." He'd hoped to get away at lunchtime to pack his stuff and finish cleaning up the flat before the weekend. He still had some idea of phoning DC Peter Cox, maybe even going to London for the weekend on his Motorola mobile phone, it had a snazzy cover to reveal the keypad.

"Of course it's necessary, Eugene, I wouldn't ask otherwise." Woolf looked surprised at the question. "It won't take long, we just need to run through a few details, so - three o'clock, if you wouldn't mind," he reiterated firmly. "We need to make sure we're all on the same sheet of paper."

* * *

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

Glancing at his silver Casio digital watch just before three o' clock, he set off for Woolf's office, and found him returning from the coffee and vending machines.

"Ah, Gene good lad. Thanks for coming. Coffee?"

Hunt got himself a cup of tea from the machine, a Curlywurly and they walked back along the corridor together. He knew DCI Harry Woolf had called this meeting more to check on his level of readiness than to discuss anything specific, so he waited for Woolf to start the conversation.

"Now Gene, as you know, in order to get you into 'A' Division as Standing's new DI, we had to mitigate the possible negative implications of your being available at such short notice, by making sure we could present you as the best."

"Yes, Sir, I remember," Hunt said politely, sighing inside. They entered Woolf's office and sat down on either side of the desk. Gene had never asked who Harry Woolf had influence over to get an office and a desk that were somehow twice as big as those of the other DCIs.

He did know. Gene'd had it demonstrated to him by the man whose idea it was. He also knew that saying so would not spare him the detailed explanation, because implementing the system had been Woolf's new-broom project soon after his arrival in the Seventies as a young DC, and he liked people to remember that. Although all of this happened when Gene Hunt was still a small child; he could sympathise why his Guv always wanted to get his own back on his old 'A' Division team 20 odd years later.

"The idea being, as I know you're aware," Woolf continued, "that there are no suspicious gaps in their career records. You'll need to study these notes of course - I'm having copies faxed run and printed off for you as we speak, so you can look at them over the weekend. Now, we've already covered the issue of your being available at short notice - Records have that down as a broken left leg by the way - so that just leaves..."

"So, are you ready to go, Gene? All packed up? Got your tape recorder? Although they've probably got their own; even over there in the last ten years; they must have tape recorders in all the interview rooms." said DCI Harry Woolf hopeful that his old team have embraced 1990s policing techniques, although it was very likely they have stagnated since the middle years of the 1980s; ignoring all the new laws, reforms and regulations on policing that have been with Hunt since he first started as a beat officer on the Manchester streets aged just 19 during 1982.

From everything Woolf had told him about Standing, he wasn't so sure. He'd packed his own just in case, together with a supply of the new blank tape cassettes.

"Look, don't worry, Gene Hunt, I know you can do this. I know I've said it before, but lying in a coma you could out-perform that fool Standing at his best. I have total confidence in you. And remember, Genie: you need to keep your eye on the prize and sort this out for us as quickly as you can, because I don't want you over there a week longer than is strictly necessary. As soon as you get the evidence we need, we can bring them to justice."

"I'll ring you on that for updates, after you've let me e-mail your rota, faxed over any information and I've given a message on your beeper screen." said DCI Harry Woolf continuing before Gene politely opens the door for him knowing his Guv may have a golf or tea with the mayor engagement as per usual.

Hunt had to wonder, if Woolf had the organisation, latest technology and the people to get all this information, why he didn't just use the archive records to get the evidence he needed against Standing.

"It should have been ready by now but those newbies in Computer Records got it wrong. Take care, Gene. Remember, we're all very proud of you, and I know you can do this." Woolf tutted.

* * *

SATURDAY MORNING

DCI Gene Hunt was watching _Live and Kicking _a Saturday morning magazine show for children on BBC One with features such as phone-ins, games, comedy, competitions and the showing of cartoons. Shows such as this he's been regularly watching since the Swap Shop and Tiswas days of his childhood back in the 1970s. Even as he became a grown up, these magazine shows nursed many a hangover or edge of his seat waits for undercover police assignments since age 19.

Gene held the red landline telephone receiver to his ear and forced himself to slow his breathing before answering. "That sounds fine, Sir. I'm just packing up today, and then tomorrow I pick up the car.", a Q&A interview with the _Spice Girls _was occuring, he fancied most of the pop girl group; his first crush was Princess Diana, back in the Eighties when he was spending time in the mirror picking his teenage acne spots.

"Excellent, Gene, well done. Feel ready for this?" asked DCI Harry Woolf.

"Of course, Sir. Hazza. Looking forward to it in fact." replied DCI Gene Hunt in a high pitched voice, he still sounded like a kid at the best of times, despite his age of thirty four, heavily built and tall six foot frame.

"Good lad. Until Monday, then. Seven OK for you?" Gene's Guv was waiting for his answer.

"Thank you Sir, that's very kind. Yeah, seven o'clock's fine for me." said DCI Gene Hunt.

Gene decided to go through the 'A' Division briefing papers one more time. No use having the personality in place if he didn't have the facts as well.

The old newspaper headlines from _The Manchester Gazette_ made worrying reading: reports of injuries sustained when suspects had "fallen down the stairs" or "resisted arrest"; photos taken by the police doctor showing battered faces, crushed fingers, bruised ribs. It was clear that DCI Standing was completely out of control. Although strangely, the only photograph he had of the DCI, from the Gazette, showed an individual who appeared to be very much in control, both of himself and everyone and everything around him. Hunt studied the 1973 picture yet again, looking closely at the long-lashed eyes burning out of the page; at the messy light-coloured hair and the grim line of the uncompromising mouth. There would be no mistaking this man when he met him.

By the time he'd finished working his way through the rest of the pile, studying, memorising and strategising, writing up e-mails, scanning the photographs plus some more Microsoft Word 97 documents on his laptop with extra back up copies printed off. Most were also saved to different coloured floppy disks for easy reference by colour and what he has written on the stickers.

_Forensics, procedures, paperwork, computerised records. This is the proper job of a police officer._ DCI Gene Hunt thought _This is how it should be now that it's the Nineties. _He had a decent shower, shave, put Clearasil cream on his acne spots and got dressed. He had toast smeared in chocolate spread for a change.

Woolf's a DCI; getting himself and his officers in procedures, methods and meetings until he can't think any more. But taught Gene how to be one of the best Greater Manchester Police officers at C Division in Hyde, but his teachings were a little **too good**.

Standing is a out of control ageing DCI, tying down suspects with old fashioned methods and beatings until they are too injured think any more or witnesses left in Custody overstaying past the alloted hours. He looks terrifying.

Long-lashed eyes burning out of the page; hard-edged control.

Hunt's on the edge of his seat going into the 'A' Division upstairs inside Greater Manchester Police's main Stopford House station premises undercover as a Detective Inspector, which he was for eight years up to 1996.

_But I'm a DCI too, but at least I've never been corrupt in my career for the Police Force. _Gene thought slipping on his brown leather jacket after washing up his toast plate. _I'm one of the youngest DCIs out there but I do my job by the proceedures and policing manuals._

Standing has a hard face and a mouth like a steel trap, staring grimly out of a newspaper report.

This time could be the sacking; Gene knew it was the policing culture of the 1970s that led to so many failings on getting this older Detective Chief Inspector brought to account for things he'd vowed to eradicate from policing since he was a teenage uniformed Police Constable in 1982.

Gene's about reports, computer technology, paperwork, undercover street assignments and progressive policing.

He was viewing all the historic 1970s police brutalities at Greater Manchester Police through his young adult 1990s eyes, Gene had only been a child at the time these police officers first made the headlines for their shocking approach to policing; fourteen years out of date at least.

DCI Harry Woolf rings up on Gene's Motorola mobile phone informing him about another rule for this assignment; to ensure his undercover Detective Inspector cover cannot be blown.

"Hi, Gene my lad." he said "I'm afraid I'll have to take your laptop, any accessories, floppy disks, your police radio and mobile phone for the time being; sadly my old 'A' Division team are disdainful of new technology and refuse to acknowledge any form of computing." Woolf said voice quivering as he remembered Superintendent Rathbone had a lazy attitude towards monitoring 'A' Division especially when DS Carling given a young lad drugs they were supposed to have confiscated into the evidence room, just before they picked on DC Sam Tyler's father for going undercover as a salesperson to prevent the Morton brothers from running a pornography film empire in Manchester during that same 1973 year. It explained why DI Vic Tyler left a four year old Sam and his mum for a secret life in London. 1985 it came to a head when he moved to Birmingham after twelve years on the run. DC Sam Tyler wanted to find him since that day.

"Oh, Guv." whined Gene Hunt "Dude, that's not fair; how am I supposed to police and serve the public interest without those cool things?!" feeling empty without the technology he's been used to policing with since he was a teenager when they first appeared in the 1980s at CID.

DCI Hunt could only hope that once he got his feet under the table in 'A' Division he would be able to relax a little.

Gene spent the afternoon in the station car park, cleaning the car that he would be using for this assignment. The shadowy people organising the nuts and bolts of the operation had told him not to worry, they would find something suitable, and for some reason he'd been hoping for something lush and one of his favourite Fords. He turned up as directed at two o'clock to find, not entirely to his surprise, that it was only a Rover, albeit a 3500 SD1, and that although it was nearly 13 years old on an A registration; it was filthy inside and out. He spent the afternoon in the station car park, cleaning the car that he would be using as Detective Inspector Phil Goode.

Gene was slightly more impressed when he discovered that it had a music player, a decent cassette radio, which almost made up for the fact that it was going to take him the whole afternoon to get the car fit to use. _It's not as if I have anything else to do_, he thought. There was even a double sided tape – just one – but he was very pleased indeed to find that it was David Bowie's 'Hunky Dory'. At least someone's got some taste.

He had bought 'Hunky Dory' on the day it came out in 1971 aged eight from Vinyl Heaven, and had played and replayed it for weeks on end, driving his mum Denise Hunt crazy with track four 'Life on Mars'. It was still his favourite track of all time, twenty six years later.

But something about Bowie's strange song had helped soothe those feelings, and it helped now, as he drove to Greater Manchester Police's main Stopford House premises to start the first day undercover at 'A' Division as DCI Standing's new Detective Inspector, as the Guv, Harry Woolf hoped his old team at the CID he started his career in would learn something from having their ageing DCI finally retired for the historic scandals and their policing updated into the 1990s.

* * *

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

The notebook stayed closed as the light faded. He found himself thinking about going in tomorrow. He would get some more ties after he arrived, he thought, taking off his own favourite blue silk one for the last time. He placed it carefully over the rack inside the wardrobe door before taking off the rest of his clothes slowly, folding each item neatly and placing them on separate hangers. Woolf had promised him someone would come in tomorrow and double check everything was packed away safely.

Gene Hunt goes through the briefing notes again, just to make sure as they were to stay inside the box folder kept in the boot of the Rover SD1 saloon until this undercover mission was over.

To keep himself focussed, he decided to rehearse his first meeting with DCI Standing; if Gene Hunt challenged him on his own ground, it would start with the name. But then he would have to decide when to begin using the man's name instead of his title. Too early and he risked getting smacked down for insubordination; too late and it would be just that - returned on his own C Division station of Greater Manchester Police, it would start with the name.

There were just too many cover stories to remember all at once. Gene made himself comfortable in the shabby borrowed Rover, dumping his made-up transfer papers from his printed Microsoft Word 97 documents on the passenger seat.

'A' Division, with its rough characters, ageing coppers and infamously non-standard procedures was never going to be a place he could fit into easily. But that was precisely what he had to do. The operation could never succeed if Gene stood out as being too different.

Newly promoted DCI Gene Hunt had to be unobtrusive, appearing to go along with their unacceptably archaic practices while not incriminating himself. He shifted uneasily in his seat-belt as he realised that he no longer had any faith in his ability to absorb the new identity and keep to it.

How could it be so much more difficult to be a police officer amongst other police officers, than to be a small-time drug-runner amongst similar? But it was, and he could not stop his face crumpling as the despised tears threatened again.

Gene hit the steering wheel. "Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it!" he shouted, angry with himself even as he did so for losing control. It was the one thing he'd agreed with his mentor and Guv DCI Harry Woolf people with an adequate command of the language don't need to swear, and normally he never did; unless it was a corrupt police officer on his books. Just one more sign of how dangerously close to the edge he was.

Too absorbed in what he was doing, he wasn't paying enough attention to the road. He realised belatedly that he had slowed down, forcing the following traffic to overtake with increasing difficulty as he wavered dangerously close to the middle of the road. As he looked up a red Vauxhall Chevette hurtled past, the driver blasting his horn.

Hunt turned the engine off and undid his seatbelt as the track he wanted began to play softly. "Life on Mars": how appropriate for a man heading for another planet, he thought hysterically, desperately trying to get his breathing under control. He was overwrought, he knew. He desperately needed to calm down before reporting to Standing.

_# It's a God awful small affair #_

He sat, shaking, and took more deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.

Pictures flooded jaggedly into his mind, each unsettling image swirling and flashing as it was replaced by something worse. Suspects with bruised faces, staring defeated at the camera. Reports Harry Woolf had shown him: "unwarranted violence"; "exceeding allowed custody times without charge"; "unexplained injuries".

_# To the girl with the mousy hair. #_

And, then, from twenty four years ago, the newly-promoted DCI Standing himself, staring grimly out of a newspaper report. Hard face, mouth like a steel trap. Long-lashed eyes burning out of the page. Hunt had woken up one night yelling in fear with that picture fixed in his brain.

Gene shook his head to clear the images.

_# But her mummy is yelling "no!" #_

He wound down the window, but the car still felt airless. The music was not working its usual magic; he still felt too shaky to drive.

_# And her Daddy has told her to go. #_

_# But her friend is nowhere to be seen #_

Still trembling, he leaned on the car door, trying to calm himself down.

Gene lost track of how long he stood there, regaining control of himself. Finally, realising he was going to be late for work on his very first day in 'A' division, he took another deep breath then got back into the car.

_# Now she walks through her sunken dream #_

_# To the seat with the clearest view. #_

Ashamed of his weakness, and angry with himself, he banged his fist on the dashboard, hurting his hand, and started the engine.

_# And she's hooked to the silver screen. #_

Summoning up all the mental strength he could find, DCI Gene Hunt willed himself to focus on the music and drive on.

_# But the film is a saddening bore #_

Gene found himself near the Mancurian Way motorway; aftermath of old buildings destroyed since World War II years and years ago; during which this famous battle against the Germans started in 1939.

Gene gets out a Dictaphone recording: _My name is Gene Hunt, I've been sent undercover by my Guv Harry Woolf to bring down an ageing bent DCI who was named in the Greater Manchester Police scandals of the 1970s and 1980s; when I were a little kid. I can only 'ope Harry's old team learn lessons from this for once and ensure their policing methods are updated to 1990s standards._

* * *

MONDAY MORNING

"Says here you're on transfer from "C" Division in Hyde..." said the jolly Police Constable assisting DCI Gene Hunt with his briefcase full of Microsoft Word 97 documents

"What? I'm a DCI." said Gene puzzled by his new fake undercover identity and looks at the uniformed officer up and down with those gorgeously heart meltingly blue eyes of his. "I need my mobile phone."

"Sorry, your mobile phone is under temporary confiscation by your Guv'nor DCI Woolf."

Gene Hunt turns and gives him a "duh" look.

"860 to Alpha — hang on, sir, come back. 86 — sir, come back!" through the Motorola police radio for the Chief Constable.

Gene is still chasing a suspect and finally tackles him to the ground in another alley. Some local kids are watching, enjoying it.

"Smash his face in!" remarked the young lad watching from the terraced garden near the alley pathway with another child of around 2-4 years old wearing a white jumper near the tatty painted green gate and black wheelie bin.

"This is gonna look very bad on your arrest report, especially as DCI Standing will punch your guts out." warned DCI Gene Hunt just before he puts the handcuffs on, reads the suspect his rights and the 1994 police cautioning; escorting him to the blue Rover SD1 saloon, he borrowed for the undercover assignment. A949 MHK it read on the registration plates, being a good ten years older than his own Ford Granada Mk3 GLX.

The police station. From the outside, it looks exactly the same when DCI Gene Hunt first started his career in 1982, the car park alternate with shots of a convoy of shiny police cars, some marked, some not. Shiny silver cars, indeed. Instead he'll be driving an old 1971-1975 Ford Cortina GXL, pretty much like his first car as a teenager of the early 1980s. It is the level below the ageing Detective Chief Inspector's bronze 2000 Executive of 1974 to 1977; to avoid any suspicion or awkward questions whenever Gene Hunt is out with his Guv and mentor Harry Woolf's old 'A' Division team. The car park was littered with bangers, heavily used vans and elderly former police panda cars.

Whereas it should be white, with a hint of blue, clean and clinical, it's still dark and dingy even with double glazed windows. The ceiling looks like a multi-level car park. DCI Gene Hunt gathered it hadn't changed since he was 19 years old working as a uniformed Police Constable in 1982 and even before that when his mentor Harry Woolf started in the 1970s; absolutely messy mountains of paper piled on desks with metal grey typewriters on some older officers desks.

Another man, Ray Carling, is seated at his desk. He says nothing, just chews his gum.

"Hey, there's that nice little plonk on the next floor. Cartwright." sneered the 55 year old Detective Seargent with gingery brown curly hair with streaks of greying on some areas.

Gene looks at Ray, much older than his own officers at C Division, with very pale blue eyes and a moustache.

"Shut up." said DCI Gene Hunt "You would normally be in front of Discipline and Complaints, for your remarks towards female police officers!" nearly losing his temper, turning to anger.

Gene is shocked at the 'A' Division CID officers treatment of women police officers at the main Stopford House premises; even though it is 1997 sadly this dated culture still prevelent.

"Where's my desk?" asked DCI Gene Hunt noticing A Division lacking in several key pieces of technology, no doubt abandoning the newest gadgets to the old Lost and Found room.

"What have you done to the PC terminals?!" snapped DCI Gene Hunt seeing hordes of creamy desktop computers with broken monitors, missing QWERTY keys and snapped modem wires.

"I don't know who the hell you lot think you are, but this will be my office." Gene spreads his hands in frustrated anger. "After I get your DCI suspended for historical police corruption by the Chief Constable, this will be my department!"

"Shh, keep it down, new boss." said one of the youngest 'A' Division officers with long floppy dark hair, almost similar to Gene's; a few years younger than Hunt. He adjusts his jacket instead.

* * *

MONDAY AFTERNOON

There's a loud and unpleasant coughing in the background.

"Too late." said DS Ray Carling pointing to an area sectioned off with walls. A silhouette can be seen moving through the glass windows. The door opens and a man comes out. This is DCI Gerry Standing. He's about Ray's age, largeish, with a nondescript shirt and trousers, and a loose, hideously patterned tie. He has a cigarette in his mouth. He leans on the doorframe.

"Yeah? What about this?" asked DCI Gene Hunt "You're making a big mistake, we're the same rank for God's sake!"

Gene Hunt looks the much older man up and down. He gets grabbed by the red lapels and hauls him into the little office. He slams Gene against a filing cabinet.

Standing grinds his cigarette under his foot.

Despite being the same rank, Standing punches Gene Hunt in the stomach. Behind them, the rest of the office watches, laughing and enjoying the theatre. The nasty ageing officer grabs DCI Hunt's lapels and slams him against the cabinet again; the one that never worked properly since.

"What the hell are you?" spat the older man, still thinking it was 1973 twenty four years in the past.

"Gene Hunt, your new DCI, and it's 1997." the blonde haired mullet bearing newly promoted DCI coolly told Standing, things were going to be accountable across the board without exception.

"No, I want a mobile number." Gene said dealing with an A Division call handler who used premium rate numbers knowing they are not cheap before 6:00 pm "A mobile number. 0770 813— I need you to connect me to an Orange number. A Orange contract mobile—"

Gene looks horrified at the way their call handlers just cut their vital informers off from investigations and starts to question the A Division's approaches to forensics and scenes of crime. He cannot believe the fact they still use out of date Post Office rotary dial telephones.

"Yeah, um... Right. Have you, er... visited the... crime scene?" asked the mullet bearing Detective Chief Inspector just newly promoted by his mentor Harry Woolf. All of A Division's officers look confused at Gene's questions on the crime scene they just visited a few minutes ago.

"What, where she was found?" said one of the old guard ignorantly in the main A Division room.

Gene Hunt was now getting fed up with their evasive attitudes towards forensics and scenes of crime; something had to be done, he attempts another way of getting the ageing police officers into shape with current 1990s techniques.

"Have you... preserved... the crime scene? The body should have been dusted for prints on site." said DCI Hunt serious while the A Division Criminal Investigations Department sit around smirking with each other, not concentrating on their new replacement Detective Chief Inspector.

"We did take some prints off a... a shoe, I think it was. They've been sent down to New Scotland Yard." said Chris Skelton, who was the second youngest to Gene but sadly got pushed into running the old A Division level of Stopford House station. He will become DCI Hunt's cybercrime colleague when Gene has finished getting DCI Standing suspended from the Force for historical corruption. He does help Skelton overcome his nerves, improve his arrest rate and naivity.

The others, expect Chris Skelton nod in eager agreement over stealing money from a scene of crime cordened off by blue police tape. Everyone laughs, except Gene, Sam and Chris, who are stony-faced.

"I'm part of the Uniform department." said WPC Annie Cartwright aged just 18 who was normally down on the floor below A Division, she introduces herself to 34 year old Gene Hunt as he's a sucker for police women "WPC Cartwright is the name." he wants to recruit more women into CID, once the undercover mission has been signed off by DCI Harry Woolf who will be promoted to Superintendent.

She looks surprised, somewhat pleased with DCI Gene Hunt and finishes packing the folders.

Gene looks at the 1970s-1980s television. It's the sort that still had buttons on. He switches it on. BBC News at 6 O' Clock is showing. He takes WPC Cartwright back to his flat as the two talk about why DCI Standing needs to be suspended from the Greater Manchester Police force.

"I studied psychology at university. I'm just saying." Gene became impressed and she has an ally that will back her up in whatever case Gene is assigned on. "DCI Hunt, you don't seem like the rest of them, and... you're clever enough to know that Standing never knew when to stop."

"Well, I'm honoured! Okay. All right. Brief me in full. What do I need to know?" asked DCI Gene wearing his favourite white cream collared shirt with his favourite jeans and black leather pixie boots. "Hang on. You're gonna do the recorded interview in there?" wondered the very young Detective Chief Inspector, at why the Interview rooms were full of people's junk.

"Yeah, the Guv used the other interview rooms for Lost Property and dumping unwanted personal computers unfortunately," said WPC Cartwright shaking her head. "Standing's an old school copper who can't see the future of policing; Mr. Woolf was right to assign you to A Division."

"Where I come from in C Division, your old Guv will be looking at suspension." explained the baby faced 34 year old man "That's the first sensible thing you've said. So, have you got a hunch about this case?" said DCI Gene Hunt e-mailing DCI Harry Woolf on his first day at 'A' Division.

"With what I know, I could find this in archives." said WPC Annie Cartwright who couldn't wait to be in Gene's 'C' Division team over at another station of Greater Manchester Police in Hyde. "There may be more than what Sid sent you and DCI Woolf by fax on the Guv's historical police corruption since 1973."

The collator's den. Gene holds a notebook up to Annie showing his notes on A Division's stack of crimes against witnesses and any members of public involved through 24 years of records.

"So where did you get these names from?" asked DI Sid Kremer coming in, carrying a stack of paper. "You have an A-Level in psychology."

"Call it inspiration." stated WPC Cartwright confidently in front of the archivist who wore the typical geek clothing such as a tweed jacket, needed glasses for reading, a green jumper and brown Hush Puppies shoes.

Gene goes to a whiteboard and starts a spider web diagram on his findings and presenting them on Microsoft Powerpoint 97, on one of the few computers in 'A' Division.

"We have to understand what DCI Gerry Standing's thinking and feeling. Annie? You're familiar with this case, aren't you?" asked Hunt.

Annie looks surprised and nervous at being addressed by her new colleague in front of the entire room full of older CID officers.

"Could you help us out here? Please?" asked DCI Hunt politely, he was being quite the gentleman to his female colleague; he is a progressive and open minded young man.

Shyly, Annie comes forward to present the Powerpoint showing on the cream computer monitor; clicking the mouse.

"WPC Cartwright has A-Levels in Psychology." said DCI Gene Hunt as he was serious, later on in his post as DCI; he will strongly support Annie Cartwright with her policing career since he doesn't want Annie to waste her potential, bright brain and policing curriculum on a bunch of old fashioned policemen, who will be retired in a few years or so. He was like a younger father in blue towards Annie as Gene takes the 18 year old young woman under his wing.

There's a mocking "Ooh" around the room and then laughter. There's an approving laugh from the other men who use lewd and sexist comments throughout Gene and Annie's seminar.

"Now put yourselves in the mind of this man." said WPC Annie Cartwright showing the photographs, newspaper reports, files of cold cases, crime records and old paperwork.

"Yes, sir?" asked Annie, when she sees Gene show his vulnerable side freezing in thought.

"Er, sorry; I'm disgusted at what Standing's been doing for all these years. I was only ten when this _Manchester Gazette_ report was written in 1973 on his promotion to DCI..." wept DCI Gene Hunt as he doesn't like corrupt coppers one bit and vowed to eradicate them from the police service since he freshly graduated GMP's Police Cadets aged 19 during the year 1982.

"What's he gonna do? Throw me down the stairs? Say I walked into a door? He don't want me around, and he doesn't need me. And I certainly don't need him." said WPC Cartwright determined to help her new Detective Chief Inspector suspend the ageing man from the Force.

* * *

TUESDAY MORNING

"Look for these leads cropping up in any box in the room. Priority." said WPC Annie Cartwright to DC Skelton collecting the manila folders in his hands as much as he could carry safely.

"Wilco, Miss. Cartwright." he said with the box in his hand, it was heavy laden with years of old yellowed admin, fingerprint sheets and false statements from Greater Manchester Police CID at the time.

He hands the lot to newly promoted DCI Gene Hunt who has a hell of a time sifting through the aged police papers and grabs a few minutes to play on his brand new Nintendo Gameboy Pocket system in yellow on _Pokemon_ Red. Williams pops by asking him gently "Boss, you best don't let the old boys see that you play video games otherwise they'll tease and pick on you."

"I know, Detective Inspector Williams." Gene Hunt replied "I'm decades younger than your Guv's men and I like to play the first ever new _Pokemon_ games for Gameboy, you even get Pokedex records on your cool pocket pets." tidying the desk up of the paperwork completed on the other side.

"You must destroy Gerry Standing and his whole rotten department." said DI Williams who worked with the ageing Detective Chief Inspector since 1973 when he was in his early 20s with a rocky working relationship on two completely differing styles of policing and Gerry never liked him. He was a much older version of Gene's childhood friend only with a black leather jacket and a paisley collared shirt in blue.

The Cortina GXL is careering down a Manchester side street. Gene at the wheel again wearing his seatbelt after he watches Gerry Standing argue with some poor housewives over their laundry by the names of lardy cows; they ask Gene about making a complaint on the bent elder DCI.

"Genie, that man you're proposed to take over from; has ruined our laundry and called us lardy cows!" remarked the blonde woman with big 1980s permed hair with very highlighted areas.

"He wasn't wearing a seatbelt and ruined my laundry which I went to put out, you need to ban that nasty little arrogant copper and get him bumped to retirement." when Gene writes their statements of complaint for the Discipline and Complaints department of Greater Manchester Police, helps them pick up what was remaining of their dirty clothing and gets back to the miami blue Ford Cortina Mk3 GXL saloon; he was assigned to witness a recorded interview with DCI Gerry Standing and his men.

"You told your Guv, and your bent Guv shot Danny in cold blood; two years ago in 1995." Gene bit out sternly "You didn't follow the 1994 Police and Criminal Evidence Act updating of the Miranda warnings; instead Mr. Standing shot him without thinking to check even though he was unarmed with no firearms on his person." he stated the facts as seen through his beautiful blue eyes with the silences.

Gene is alone in his flat, transcribing the tape recording of Sykes's interrogation. The television is on in the background with _Byker Grove _as the young DCI works both on his laptop in Microsoft Word 97 and a handwritten copy as back up when he e-mails DCI Harry Woolf about the new transcript he has written down.

_The cop-killer?_

_Right, Sykes, where do I find Leslie Johns?_

_I can't tell you, they'll kill me. (sound of a fist hitting flesh) Aaugh!_

_If you don't tell me, I'll kill you._

* * *

TUESDAY AFTERNOON

"Expose that foetid man as the criminally negligent copper he so obviously is. Is that clear enough?" asked DCI Harry Woolf "Standing does things his way, and people get hurt. Or killed. (pause) Document the handling of this enquiry. We need hard evidence, Gene. I want written reports, photographs, complaints and tape recordings of Standing's methods." he continued on to the 34 year old newly promoted DCI Gene Hunt "He's out of control, my lad."

"I'll get the evidence you need. If that's what it takes, sir." replied DCI Gene Hunt wearing his silver Casio digital watch, snakeskin leather boots, jeans with a pink collared shirt, purple tie and grey suit. It goes well with his trademark mullet that he's had since a teenager of the 1980s.

Gene Hunt whose expression has been grim up to this point, is now visibly appalled. He winces, looks away, then back. "As of last night, this bent cop sting's gone into top gear."

Gene holds a mug-shot photograph out to DC Sam Tyler, who takes it; they're both still inside 'A' Division, Salford of Greater Manchester Police when they play more tapes of DCI Gerry Standing's illegal methods; the duo give out secret messages of shock in their eye contact.

Gene gets into the passenger side of a four-door 1992 Mercedes Benz saloon. In the driver's seat, DCI Harry Woolf is looking at his old Detective Inspector with expectation, the registration is J547 GMV.

"What have you got, Genie?" DCI Harry Woolf asked wearing his blue suit as he presses the electrical window button up for his door, ensuring nobody can watch their conversation.

"Gerry Standing's sending in regular Detective Constables without firearms backup." he answered to his mentor who's been in the post for ten years since 1987 when Gene was only 23 or 24 years of age at the time just starting his Detective Inspector position with DCI Harry Woolf.

Gene holds up cassette tapes, then file folders, shows him some handwritten and word processed notes in Harry's Mercedes metallic light blue saloon. He carefully stacks the evidence in the back cream seat of the car.

"Tape recordings, word processed and handwritten reports, secret photographs developed." said DCI Gene Hunt at the speed of light as he couldn't wait to give his old mentor all the evidence the younger 34 year old male gathered in just two days undercover at Salford's A Division department in Stopford House of Greater Manchester Police.

"Thank you, I knew I could count on you, Eugene." smiled DCI Harry Woolf who used Hunt's full first name; he knew that his former Detective Inspector would go far at only thirty four years of age."I need a credible officer to take the stand against Standing. You'll have to bear witness, Gene Hunt." he revealed the next assignment and gets a court case rolling in the process.

"Wow, me a DCI?!" said Gene Hunt who was excited about this new post as he and Sam Tyler wanted to be police officers since their childhood of the 1970s growing up in Salford. The two have finally figured out their purpose as police officers; the latter will be Gene's junior DCI when Chief Constable Gary Fletcher will promote Sam to join his friend of six or seven years older.

METROPOLITAN ACCOUNTABILITY AND RECONCILIATION STRATEGY.

"Well, that's only half of it, Gene lad. We're not only dismantling "A" Division, we're rebuilding it in our image. That was always the plan and you'll make us proud." said DCI Harry Woolf showing the strategy papers "Taking on malpractice and corruption in the Force. We have to prove to the public that we're exorcising the old school bent police officers." continuing the points of this assignment undercover sent by their Superintendent Hadley who wanted malpractice stamped out 14-17 years after the original _Operation Countrymen _assignments when Gene was still a police cadet and uniformed Police Constable as a older teenager on the beat determined to nab that crafty house burglar, use traffic marked cars catching speeding drivers or help someone find a lost dog.

Gene is overcome. He covers his mouth with his hand in an effort to choke back a happy sob.

"I'm so impressed, Gene. With everything that's happened with those bent old school police officers ... you've done your job, you've held it together, you've earned their respect. Once we're done with all this, we take control of "A" Division, police it progressively. You'll be working right alongside me." DCI Harry Woolf reminds Gene as he will apply for the Superintendent post taking over from 70 year old DSI Frank Rathbone born in 1928 or 1929 after nearly 58 years of police service from 1949; before Princess Elizabeth Windsor II first became ruler of the throne.

"There must be thousands of officers like old Gerry Standing." said DCI Gene Hunt almost laughing "If this is real... then Gerry has a life. What's going to happen to him?" with his cheeky wink that he keeps for his female colleagues; calm but logical in the expression and body language.

"He'll be pensioned off. We only need make an example of one for now." replied DCI Harry Woolf "Oh, he used to be impressive... in his day. Hang in there, Gene and Sam, I need you."

"You can't uphold the law by breaking it. It's what you've always said Gene Hunt ever since you were a police cadet boy." DCI Woolf spoke urgently "Gerry Standing is breaking the law."

"He's a man building his own shaming retirement. All we're doing is... handing him the pension." replied DC Sam Tyler in turn sat next to the piles of evidence "We can't let him put those young officers in danger."

DCI Harry Woolf reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a black Motorola police issued mobile radio handing one each to DCI Gene Hunt and DC Sam Tyler.

"Here. It's a Motorola mobile radio. I'm on channel four. You just say the word, and we can be there with full Armed Response backup to get you out safely." as Harry Woolf demonstrated the Motorola police radio to his 34 and nearly 28 year old young male police officers. "And then we arrest DCI Standing for gross professional negligence, historical miscarriages of justice and corruption."

* * *

WEDNESDAY MORNING

Hunt stood near Standing's bronze Cortina in the main Stopford House carpark; giving DCs Sam Tyler and Chris Skelton a pep talk, luckily the latter borrowed a camel coat to blend into his surroundings without arousing suspicion from the ageing A Division officers in the background.

"Right, now this is serious, okay? We're going to be crossing a thin blue line here. But whatever happens, I want you to know I'm going to be right in there with you. We're going to stop this bent bastard from killing more innocent people. Good luck, dudes!" said Gene.

"I mean...We both wondered why we'd never fitted in around here. Well, it turns out—" paused DC Sam Tyler careful not to reveal operation details in public but still need to inform each other via eighteen year old WPC Annie Cartwright; who was nine years younger than him.

"Turns out that we were sent here undercover by our Guv, Harry Woolf." explained DCI Gene Hunt "To gather evidence against old Gerry Standing who stinks like a pub ashtray."

Annie's face is at first believing, then upset.

"Not disturbing you three, am I? Eh?" piped up Detective Constable Chris Skelton with his long mop of jet black hair and Addias trainers.

"His methods are out of date and mad. I'm stopping them. We shouldn't be going in there like this without a codeword. I don't want anybody to get hurt." said Gene walking up the steps.

"Too late. Guv went to see John last night. He's undercover now." said DS Ray Carling sniggering smoking his fags with some other A Divison officers around former ex police Austin Allegro cars and a 1970s-1980s battered builders green Bedford CF van. "Got itchy feet, I suppose."

"Last night? That wasn't part of the plan!" yelled young DCI Gene Hunt with his face fuming. "You see, Annie? This is just the type of police corruption that we're trying to stop."

"I'm working in conjunction with... 'C' Division in Hyde." said DCI Gene Hunt after he is forced to explain himself to A Division after some angry officers clocked him when they recognised the blonde mullet, glass blue colour eyes, acne marked face, a black Motorola police radio, the yellow Nintendo Gameboy Pocket in his jeans, Motorola mobile phone with a revealable keypad and pink 1990s collared shirt.

"You've been spying on us? All along?!" shouted DS Ray Carling nearly stubbing a cigarette on Gene's pink collared shirt "All this time. I knew it. I bloody knew it!"

"I'm trying to save your CID department here. I am not your enemy!" Gene was nearly lost for words as he heavily observed 'A' Division by hidden CCTV cameras as a video fly on the walls whenever DCI Harry Woolf needed him at C Division of Greater Manchester Police, Hyde.

"Cut the crap! You've been our enemy since day one." snarled DCI Gerry Standing "And all this time you've been laughing at us behind our backs with your fancy Hyde C Division mates!"

"You don't have to. We get it young Eugene. Well, you can't stop the guv's plans!" protested some of the other A Division police officers "But I'll tell you this: if the guv goes down... we all go down!"

DCs Chris Skelton and Sam Tyler stood behind and in front of DCI Gene Hunt in rock hard solidality of their erstwhile leader in C Division in Hyde's area of Greater Manchester Police.

"Here we go. No histrionics. Remember, the more I say, the less chance we have of your Guv getting away with his historical police corruption." Gene Hunt explained calmly and clearly in authority as a newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector; at just 34 he had a clear plan in hand.

"Tricks of the new policing trade?!" the 55 year old ginger brown haired man spat out bitterly "Shut up, little Eugene, you will always be a div!" he spits in Gene's acne covered face. "The guv says we nick 'em on his orders!" insulting the baby faced 34 year old male police officer in this process.

"I didn't start this. It was Standing. Now, if anything goes wrong..." said DC Sam Tyler firmly.

Sam uses DCI Harry Woolf's Motorola radio from his pocket. Then gives Gene his Motorola mobile phone with the retractable ariel and reveals a cool keypad "I can text in for armed backup." said DCI Gene Hunt pressing the keys to spell out his text message with the codeword.

_Guv, could you help me? I got a mob of angry old guard A Division officers who instantly recognised me, my 1990s tech and clothing. Do I just keep going with the accountability stratagies?! MARS! _

_Yes, even if they want to run you, Sam, Chris and Annie out of the premises; Eugene my lad just keep policing in the way I've taught you until I can get A Division's nasty coppers into court, OK?_

Annie backs away as the ageing maverick coppers enter the office that Gene's sat in. She is truly frightened. "Gene's stitched us up, guv! He's working for them at Hyde. His by the book gayboys and pretty birds trying to bring you down, bring us all down!" warned the much older DS.

"What's going on, Gene?!" Annie panicked in fright for her young Guv as he is battling angry ageing police officers in the main room of A Division, who won't accept change for the better.

"Don't give us cause to. (to his men) It's a fancy multi whatsit police radio and stupid mobile phones!" yelled DCI Gerry Standing across the other side of the main A Division room.

"Right, play pass the file parcel. Move it!" ordered DCI Gene Hunt to his three faithful colleagues from C Division in Hyde of Greater Manchester Police "We need backup, and I'm going to go and get it." as the rest of C Division arrived to help Gene take control of A Division in the Salford part of Greater Manchester Police. Harry Woolf was busy preparing this case for the CPS to look at.

"Oh God — please Guv — just make them stop." panicked DC Chris Skelton, sobbing in a heap.

"Use your head, Christopher. What better way to ruin Standing forever? He's responsible for a botched illegal sting, and put his younger officers in mortal danger." said Gene calmly but firmly in the face of affronted war against professional degree level policing.

"Chris and Sam it'll be all right!" encouraged WPC Annie Cartwright who knew DCI Standing was a twisted, bitter and jealous old man whose policing career may be on the wane.

"It's all your fault, you David Bowie lookalike! Your Hyde police officers want us old school coppers retired!" he throws trophies and heavy boxes at Gene's team "You lot are just trying to save your own skin!" ranted DCI Gerry Standing who looked a lot like Dennis Waterman.

"Gene Hunt, you must destroy Gerry Standing and his whole rotten department." said DCI Harry Woolf who reminded his former Detective Inspector of this MARS mission's objectives.

"You'd rather look in the filing cabinet, that's where I keep all my severed heads." sneered DCI Gerry Standing sniffing around "And it smells of your teenage boy's Lynx aftershave in here!"

"So one man dies, and you threaten another, just because you haven't got a lead. You know, I find -" Gene said interrupted by the man who had twenty four years more as a police officer.

"Thank you, I will!" he replies "Off you jolly well trot, Genie. Boys' Brigade meeting."

Far away, Gerry Standing and his men enter the office.

"Bing! Wrong answer." DCI Gene Hunt answered back doing a gameshow sound effect.

"He's never stood shoulder to shoulder with us... and he never will, guv." replied one of Gerry Standing's men tormenting a witness in a recorded interview with the cassette recorder hidden by an ancient copy of Just Jugs obscured as Gene went to check that the blank transparent cassette was recording both sides when a man is clearly bleeding from the mouth already; contravening several laws on the Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984 and breaching guidelines on police interviews involving informers or witnesses by mistreating police handcuffs not using them for purposes intended. Gene catches Gerry's team getting creative with handcuffs unnecessarily restraining a police informer on a battered old plastic red chair.

* * *

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

"Come on. Hyde is waiting." said DCI Harry Woolf inside a unmarked white Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth saloon, produced between 1988-1995 belonging to their Traffic department.

Exterior of Hyde police station. Gene walks past a modern panda car brightly painted in silver, blue and yellow - a P registration Ford Scorpio Cosworth. There are no bobbies on bicycles. Distantly, a BMW 3 Series car alarm whoops.

"Serve the public trust, protect the innocent, uphold the law." said DCI Gene Hunt nodding when he meets up with DCI Harry Woolf for the next part of his MARS undercover operation.

"Without official sanction, this tooling of Gerry's lads is illegal, Gene." said DCI Harry Woolf driving the white Sierra RS Sapphire saloon registered during 1991 as H67 KBL. It was Gene's other favourite vehicle from the Greater Manchester Police Hyde station unmarked car lot.

"It's not the Famous Five, Guv." replied 34 year old Gene Hunt "Remember, we're dealing with a psycho, a washed up DCI who was an average copper in his 1970s prime."

"Are you sure this is the only way to nail him, guv?" asked DC Sam Tyler in a phrase Gene Hunt's familiar with being mates turned work colleagues as they knew each other for twenty four years, then aged 4 and 10 years old in 1973.

"But we have a responsibility to this city. And Hazza will move heaven and earth to stop this man. Now, Standing doesn't play by any rules." explained DCI Gene Hunt before he enters A Division in the main Stopford House premises of Greater Manchester Police walking upstairs.

* * *

THURSDAY MORNING

DCI Gene Hunt enters the finally tidy office of Greater Manchester Police's Stopford House station's CID; he sets up his laptop at the desk and spends half the morning chasing up archivists for the old 1973-1996 crime reports; over twenty three years worth of complaints.

"Turns out that I was sent here undercover by DCI Harry Woolf. To gather evidence against the guv here." explained DCI Gene Hunt wearing a purple white tie with diamond style patterns on his white collared shirt, a spikey back and fringe on his trademark mullet adorned with grey white thin striped trousers and platform shoes with glitter trim on them.

"And your Hyde mates will ride in on their big white Sierra RS Sapphires, will they?" mocked DCI Gerry Standing teasing Gene as he does his crime reports through Microsoft Word 97 on A Division exposing malpractice stretching over twenty four years from 1973 to now in 1997.

Gene clicks off the recorder and looks at it for a moment. He pops the tape out. A woman, Officer 1, comes up behind him. They are both in silhouette. We see a new wide-screen television at left, showing a weather report in Greater Manchester Police, Hyde station.

"They've thrown the signal. This is it. Now, just be careful, okay Gene?" said DCI Harry Woolf over Gene's black Motorola mobile phone with retractable ariel and revealable keypad.

"Yes, Guv." said Gene over the 1990s styled sleek mobile phone.

"You wanted me to deliver something to Psych Evaluation Division, DCI Gene Hunt?" asked DC Annie Cartwright waiting for an answer from her C Division Guv; carrying the files to a silver 1982-1987 Ford Granada Mk2 Ghia X estate, that is Gene's personal car registered as APU747X after a Indian corner shop owner in _The Simpsons_. This was when the season one episodes became released after their original shorts in the _Tracy Ullman Show_ at the time.

"Yeah, Annie; get them to DCI Harry Woolf; he'll be expecting us at a meeting. Just hope that old worm Standing doesn't mess up my decluttering of this office." said the 34 year old mullet bearing, brash and fun loving Detective Chief Inspector packing up the evidence boxes up.

"The question is, whether we have real grounds to move for a statute on 48-hour turnaround..." said DC Sam Tyler in the front passenger seat as Gene watches the traffic carefully and pays attention to his surroundings when certain drivers pull out unexpectedly in the high street.

"In violent cases. Unless we can isolate psychotic tendency and have that verified..." said DC Annie Cartwright in her plain clothes listening to Gene's music collection of Artic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, David Bowie and T-Rex double sided cassette tapes underneath the Ford radio.

"What do you mean, going to make a good copper?" asked DC Chris Skelton puzzled at his young Guv's answer as he sat in the back behind Gene's driving seat wondering what will happen when Gene Hunt takes control of the Stopford House CID of Greater Manchester Police as DCI.

"You know those video games you and I play, Chris?" said DCI Gene Hunt clicking the indicator button right "Well this is the future of policing; Harry Woolf wants those old school police officers extinct from our service after all the historical corruption; I have vowed to eradicate since I was 19 in 1982." heading towards Greater Manchester Police's C Division in Hyde.

"Ah, that's the one, Guv!" said DC Chris Skelton chewing a strawberry _Starburst_ sweet.

"The police force has become accountable, than it has ever been in two decades. Do that scum can still be caught, but without the senseless brutality and God knows what else." barked 34 year old Gene Hunt who still sounded like a teenager, even though he was born in 1963.

"It was a stitch-up by Standing's lot. Somebody knew what we were doing." said DC Sam Tyler annoyed as the three are being admonished by Gene himself in his 1982-1987 Mk2 Granada.

"This was supposed to be a simple undercover assignment." said 34 year old DCI Gene Hunt annoyed "I'm worried the CPS will throw away months of hard work on the basis of evidence contamination, play not enough evidence or see Standing's victims as not credible witnesses!"

Annie comes into the car with McDonalds burgers for the team after being given a list.

"How's your first day, Miss. Cartwright?" asked the baby faced Detective Chief Inspector in the driving seat facing Chris, Annie and Sam in the rear passenger leather Ghia X seats.

"Sir, we didn't think DCI Gerry Standing would let his team sabotage audio recorded interviews." replied DC Annie Cartwright who was wearing her normal plain clothes rather than uniform.

"Well? Oh you're kidding me, Annie?" sighed Gene at what happened with 'A' Division during the interviews his 'C' Division team were assigned to monitor for malpractice and brutality.

Harry Woolf arrives and parks behind Gene in a silver Rover 870 saloon registered as G753 HWR back at Hyde's Greater Manchester Police premises as Gene's young team descend into being immature.

* * *

THURSDAY AFTERNOON

"Now, now, Gene, back off a little my lad; you're only very young yourself." admonished newly promoted Superintendent Harry Woolf wearing his usual business attire and a silk tie.

"At least we've had one break today. Our Guv, Superintendent Woolf here has offered to help with this investigation!" Gene replied hyperactively; still high on the Pepsi he's just had listening to the acid house music while bombing around town in his 1982-1987 Ford Granada Mk2 Ghia X.

"Very honoured to have you on board, sir. What makes this MARS case so special?" asked Detective Constable Sam Tyler shaking hands with their own Guv as they gather today's meeting minutes inside the boardroom.

"I know who's behind it. DCI Gerry Standing as usual. He'd be my nemesis if he knew how to spell it. Responsible for most of the botched assignments in 'A' Division in the Manchester, Salford area the past twenty four years." Newly promoted DSI Harry Woolf replied to one of his youngest ever police officers, who is a damn good Detective Constable for his tender age.

"He has evaded my grasp and made a lot of good police officers miserable." DSI Harry Woolf continued onwards "Oh, that's exactly what this MARS project of mine was developed for. With good reason. Try this for your spelling homework. Might give you nightmares, mind."

Sam picks up the next file offered to him.

"Violence against civilians or witnesses unlucky enough to get caught up in his collar." answered DCI Gene Hunt showing the photos to his peers of young officers and superior DSI Harry Woolf at the table.

He and Sam look through the files. Lots of photos of bloody people with disturbing police brutality next to them.

"Why haven't you caught him, yet?" asked newly promoted DC Annie Cartwright waiting for an answer from Gene's old mentor. "It won't be easy, mind you. DCI Standing is still a nasty, devious piece of work even after all these years."

"No, no, fair question, Annie. I haven't been good enough, love. I need your help, guys and ladies. If you play this case right, Miss. Cartwright we'll be looking to fill in the Detective Constable post, I have waiting."

Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf closes his file and hands it to 18 year old Annie Cartwright.

"I'll stake Gene's Manchester City season ticket on it. This has got DCI Gerry Standing's fingerprints all over it." said DSI Harry Woolf leaving with the files and his laptop in hand.

"So I want the names of all DCI Standing's dodgy associates. Find out the word on the street, get out with the informants." asked DCI Gene Hunt wearing a denim jacket and Metallica t-shirt with a necklace with a slightly messy fringe.

After the C Division officers ask all their informants, who unfortunately don't remember DCI Gerry Standing as they were only a few years younger than their Guv, Gene Hunt.

DC Sam Tyler in DCI Gene Hunt's office littered with movie posters from Labyrinth, Star Wars, RoboCop and the Terminator. The tops of filing cabinets are covered in his old 1980s Nintendo NES game cartridges, certain toys like a Rubik's Cube and Gene's childhood Corgi cars from the 1970s.

"You didn't try hard enough. An old bent copper is in this city, our informants should be able to name the bent bastard responsible." said DCI Gene Hunt in his Bart Simpson impression "Do I have to do everything myself, man?!" as he logs off his desktop computer and chews his bubblegum.

Gene picks up his leather jacket and rolls his eyes.

"We spoke to all our informers, they weren't around when DCI Gerry Standing first commited police corruption and nobody knows how he went unchecked for twenty four years." said DC Sam Tyler who walks with Gene to his dark grey 1994 Ford Granada GLX saloon.

"Oh, that's you're as white as the ghosts from Ghostbusters." said DCI Gene Hunt jokingly but still etched with concern "What's up dude? You can tell your Guv and old mate?"

The headline reads: "Top Cop Glen Fletcher Dies: City's first black Deputy Chief Constable suffers fatal heart attack", with the byline "By Paul Taylor".

The text underneath reads: "Cited by many of his peers as the inspiration for a generation of multi-ethnic law enforcement officers in the North West, Deputy Chief Constable Glen Fletcher died suddenly after suffering a massive heart attack at his Chorlton home yesterday morning. He was 52 years old.

"Fletcher was one of Manchester Constabulary's first black recruits at the dawn of the 1970s. He rose to prominence in Hyde C.I.D., presiding over a (...) of key arrests in what became (...) Sweep' crackdown (...) Manchester (...)"

The second column begins mid-sentence: "minorities in the greater Manchester area soared." Then the text from the first column begins to repeat: "Fletcher was one of Manchester Constabulary's first black recruits..." The caption under the photo at right begins: "Respected: Glen Fletcher who (...)"

_No need to thank me. You earned it. Be a good role model, Gene. _said DCI Harry Woolf when Gene was first given the MARS assignment six months ago to go undercover at 'A' Division.

"The bloke who looked after me when I first joined the force in 1987. He's dead." wept DC Sam Tyler in silent tears of sorrow after he found out DCI Gerry Standing used Chief Constable Fletcher as bait; as the latter knew him when he was one of the first ethnic Detective Constables when Stopford House was still under the Salford and Manchester Police name until 1974.

"Oh. Close, were you?" asked 34 year old DCI Gene Hunt trying to be sympathetic to another officer's death in the Manchester Gazette headlines printed 16th May 1997.

"You could say he was my mentor. I used to go to him for advice on everything. Even when they promoted him upstairs. I learnt the job from him, really." said DC Sam Tyler when Gene worked out where he knew the Chief Constable around Greater Manchester Police as he graduated five years before his best friend.

"I think I knew him. He was a Detective Sargeant or a Detective Inspector by then." replied DCI Gene Hunt walking back to the car. "Then he went back in uniform for a while before his killing."

The office. Gene is writing on the whiteboard with coloured marker pens and underlines important information. "Because he wouldn't have sounded like a twonk!" one shouted at Gene.

"Age? Address?" piped up Detective Constable Sam Tyler putting his hand up.

"Dunno. That's why you're gonna go through these records until you find any mention of DCI Standing's name from the past thirty years." answered DCI Gene Hunt, who would have to stretch records back to 1967 when Standing was still a Detective Inspector in 'A' Division.

"DC Cartwright. Annie. I'm sort of new round here too." she said nervously.

"You here to do the spadework, then?" DCI Standing laughs. Some of the other 'A' Division CID men join in. Everyone except Gene and his 'C' Division team join in with the office bullying.

"You'll have to excuse DS Carling and DCI Standing. They're our resident Neanderthals." said DCI Gene Hunt blushing bright red in front of the whiteboard; pausing his lecture immediately.

Annie is also not laughing. "All right, that's enough!" said DC Sam Tyler helping Gene put 'A' Division into order clapping hands with DSI Harry Woolf ashamed that he ever knew those men.

"You know, I was at Hyde for a bit. I'm sure I remember your names." asked DC Fincher.

"Yeah, I— I... you're... you must be, um.." said Gene Hunt nervously gathering his team.

"Here we go! Come on. Tell us what a bastard they really are." sneered DCI Gerry Standing commanding his 'A' Division team, the much older heavy set man continues to intimidate.

* * *

FRIDAY

"Everything down to what my laddo had for breakfast. Harry and I have been shadowing him for weeks." said young DCI Gene Hunt explaining his findings to Discipline and Complaints "but the bent copper fraternity sometimes indulge in practices called 'pretending' and 'lying'. He has reams of Microsoft Word 97 documents, cassette tape recordings, photographs, faxes and handwritten transcripts along with an e-mail trail to DSI Harry Woolf with all of 'C' Division's findings.

"The likelihood is Carling and Standing were in cahoots at 'A' Division from the off." said DSI Harry Woolf "I was only a Detective Constable with this terrible stammer that would strike whenever I had to be in DCI Standing's office; known as the den." he nearly cried in tears.

"No, no, no. Maybe Harry's right. We were on the scene, We know what our Superintendent saw for all these years." said DC Annie Cartwright wearing her usual 1990s coloured attire.

Everyone in D&C looks puzzled, but angry at themselves for how they had a decade's worth of missed opportunities in the 1980s to catch out DCI Standing for his corruption inside Greater Manchester Police. If Woolf hasn't managed to catch DCI Standing after all this time, what makes you think you can?" asked one of the Discipline and Complaints people sat in a panel.

DC Sam Tyler takes over the presentation "We've concrete evidence to implicate DCI Gerry Standing in these complaints. Look, I understand you want to help out an old mentor, Gene."

"I've seen good men die on this job or keel over trying to settle old scores since I was 19 in 1982. In ten years, I don't want to see DSI Harry Woolf wandering around like Nipper of the Yard trying to collar old bent police officers. He's too good for that." said DCI Gene Hunt with pride.

Interview Room 2, Gene and Sam record DCI Standing's interview as DSI Harry Woolf, DCs Chris Skelton and Annie Cartwright watch behind a window that had a two way mirror fitted.

"We know you were responsible for the illegal Sparks Lane, Post Office sting against an armed robber in 1975 when you were planning to catch burglar Arnold Malone which went wrong involving innocent customers at the time." DCI Gene Hunt pointed out firmly and factually.

"Good copper's wet dream! You're barking up the wrong tree!" DCI Gerry Standing yelled going to knock the interview table, nearly causing the laptop to slide off and breaking the cassette recorder. DSI Harry Woolf tries to restrain his old Guv safely, but the nerves rear their ugly head.

"I'm all right." said DSI Harry Woolf keeping hold of Gerry Standing's arms stammering.

"Why don't you take five minutes, Guv?" asked DCI Gene Hunt gently with a soft voice.

"I don't need f—" he freezes in terror still at Standing, even after all these years later.

"Don't give your old Guv the satisfaction." explained the 34 year old with a blonde mullet.

"Thanks, Gene." Detective Superintendent Woolf returns to the monitoring room behind.

"Not to mention springing a prisoner from a transport car." said DC Sam Tyler handing him an original 1975 statement with the photos "Your trademarks are all over that failed assignment."

"Poor bloke. He's still got that stammer." laughed DCI Gerry Standing in satisfaction.

"I'll count to one, then I'm gonna pull your teeth cuffed into Custody!" The much older man clearly pissed young DCI Gene Hunt off teasing him for having his old mentor in 'C' Division.

"I haven't got any more on the old days!" he tried to pull the 34 year old by the lapels, something very familiar to the first day, Gene was going undercover as a newly promoted DI in 'A' Division.

"Why should we believe you? Oh, old DCI Gerry Standing gets all cooperative. Why does that make my skin crawl?" suspending the interview "Interview suspended at 12:45 am." while Gene gets a third officer to join him. DI Sandra Pullman writes a transcript of the recorded interview.

"It was Raxton Street. Main post office. The robbers were going for t' cash, stamps and postal orders." said DCI Gerry Standing recalling 1975 with a few vital details glossed over.

"I don't believe you." said Gene resuming the recorded interview; after he got Detective Inspector Sandra Pullman to join him as another female back-up in the small white painted room.

"You know, I thought it was obvious to a blind deaf-mute what Sparks Lane were all about. Low-level undercover blag to see whether my officers was still match-fit. No. Raxton Street became the big sting." DCI Gerry Standing was looking at his watch, folding his arms and smirking using derogatory disabilist language.

Meanwhile at 'C' Division in Greater Manchester Police, Hyde premises; Gene's team get ready to catch 'A' Division's ageing officers red handed with survellience techniques and armed response.

"We're gonna catch these cop bastards with their fingers in the till." said DCI Gene Hunt "Chris, radio up everyone you can get your hands on. Sammy dude wake up and get a Transit van. Cartwright, stick some lipstick on." He claps his hands and yells, sounding like a teenage schoolboy in his team's orders "Come on, what are you dynamic officers waiting for?!"

They all leap to their feet. Gene heads for his office immediately shutting down his computer, followed by Sam.

"If DCI Standing's behind two decades worth of cold cases, then why is he tipping us off?"

"There's a turf war brewing in Stopford House and my mentor's sick of it." replied DCI Gene Hunt to DC Sam Tyler as the latter borrows his yellow Nintendo Gameboy Pocket to finish a mission Gene couldn't find time to complete in _Pokemon Red_.

Gene grabs his black leather jacket and Ford car keys.

"Guv, this could be a set-up. Be careful, mate." said DC Sam Tyler cautiously. "We're trained for exactly this kind of situation."

"They're putting officers in harm's way without being in full possession of the facts!" yelled Gene cross at the dangerous mess 'A' Division are causing in the wake of C Division's investigations.

Gene takes Chris's shoulders as the young early 20 something year old walks into his own Guv scared of going into Greater Manchester Police's main Stopford House premises without him.

"Oh, Chris, Chris; don't be scared because I won't let those bullies lay a hand on you, they'd have to get past me first." said DCI Gene Hunt stroking his cheeks and nudging him gently.

"Right, we have fifty-seven minutes to respond to Harry's tip-off which I'm one hundred percent confident about!" said DC Annie Cartwright gathering up the protective police uniforms and the gear, glancing at her turquoise Casio Baby G watch.

"I do. I've seen it a dozen times. Look, half of CID in 'A' Division were alcoholics when Maggie Thatcher was Prime Minister and by the time I first came on to the beat." said DCI Gene Hunt when he sees DSI Harry Woolf hiding inside the ex changing room scared by his old team.

"It's not what you think, young Samuel." said DSI Harry Woolf helping his old Detective Inspector's team out with a corrupt DCI who was in 'A' Division since 1965 or 1966.

"I saw your hands shaking as you stammer before." explained DC Sam Tyler.

"You have no idea, what being in 'A' Division was like..." Harry Woolf said through gritted teeth after being nastily punched in the stomach by his former colleagues of the 1970s and 1980s.

Sam asks "Does... Gene—?" He tips his head.

"Yeah. And you're not to tell him." ordered DSI Harry Woolf sitting up on the old bench with first aid administrated by two Greater Manchester Police first aiders.

"Sir." honouring the Superintendent of 'C' Division, who's been DCI for ten years running.

"I don't want Gene's pity. So, I'll appreciate your discretion, Detective Constable. Or rather... silence on this case." said Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf who wanted to get back to active duty in earnest, even if it's on desk duties for a while to allow for recovery time.

Sam nods to agree.

"Now. What's happening with DCI Standing?" asked Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf still shocked by the incident and gets up abruptly.

"'A' Division, my guv's put some of our officers there and Armed Response back up in case anything should happen." said DC Sam Tyler briskly.

Vincent arrives out of the Staff Room, Sam and Woolf go in. Gene is watching through the glass that looks into the main hub of 'A' Division inside a rarely used staff room built in the 1980s.

"Because those new amateurs out there are taking so long to process the bent cops into Custody." said DCI Gene Hunt abruptly in tone "Chris, shouldn't be out there all on his own; thank god Armed Response are there to step in, should those bent old police officers go gung ho on things."

DC Annie Cartwright comes in, when she spots something suspicious in the 'A' Division room.

"Sir?" she asks "Is that not right?" Annie notices an officer punching a witness in the office.

"The arrest is due at four on the dot." said young DCI Gene Hunt "Annie, I can't risk going in too early; otherwise the operation will have to be cancelled on the grounds our cover's blown!"

"There's a very bright future ahead of that lass." said DSI Harry Woolf smiling proudly.

"Remember, let it go on long enough 'til we've got the evidence we need. I want 'em red-handed, holding enough CPS rope to hang themselves with." advised DCI Gene Hunt "Any second now."

He goes back into the staff room. He and Sam stand and watch through the window. Both boys look at their digital watches. It's one minute to four.

"We should move in now. There's an officer in jeopardy." said DC Sam Tyler overviewing the situation.

"Go go go go go go go go go!" ordered DSI Harry Woolf to Gene's 'C' Division team

"Don't move, you bent scum." said DCI Gene Hunt ordering A Division's old guard to stay at their desks. They complain loudly and bitterly at being handcuffed until Gene's team can process them at the Custody wing of Stopford House in Greater Manchester Police's Salford station.

One of DCI Gerry Standing's colleagues makes a false allegation against DSI Harry Woolf during the recorded interview; this makes 34 year old Gene Hunt fuming about the whole situation.

"You can't just start accusing a serving police officer! Where's your proof, where's your evidence?" said DCI Hunt tiredly, even coffee doesn't help his overtiredness during the late shift.

"A copper like your poncy Woolf wants us pensioned off with no clues!" ranted DS Mallows.

"You have ten seconds to give me the real reason names behind these failed cases." said the 34 year old long mullet bearing police officer "otherwise you'll be back in Custody charged with wasting police time for starters." stating the consequences of non cooperation during the recorded interview.

"Good few day's work! We should have enough information about DCI Standing's activities for us to make something sticky, even if it's tax evasion." said DSI Harry Woolf proud of the work his old Detective Inspector's team have compiled together while undercover in 'A' Division.

"I need a little bit more time before I hand him over. There's another unrelated case I think Standing's goons might have information about." said DC Chris Skelton nervously.

"Gene didn't mention this." DSI Harry Woolf couldn't believe there was another failed old case from DCI Gerry Standing's team, without knowing how long it's been standing in archives for.

"It's only just come up. If I could just question the suspect for another twenty-four hours—" asked DC Sam Tyler taking a prisoner back to the Custody cells and gets the desk sergeant to type in the new details on to the Crimint database; updating previous details on the person.

"Fine. We'll fill in a 48 hour Custody form, e-mail our team the specific details, update Crimint and work it from there, Samuel." said DSI Harry Woolf knowing the usual procedure on this.

"Thank you, sir." smiled 28 year old Detective Constable Sam Tyler walking back to his office.

"This is DCI Standing's vendetta against Harry Woolf. I have a responsibility." said DCI Gene Hunt who knew about the older DCI "I've read the books, Annie. I've seen the documentaries. 'When Good Cops Go Bad.' This is the time to get the old 'A' Division guard in court with the Crown Prosecution Service."

"He's already made you look an idiot lots of times over the past few weeks." snapped DC Annie Cartwright sharply "Other than this gossip from Standing, what evidence have you got to suspect him? This is why we need to get 'A' Division in it's long overdue form disbanded."

"Superintendent Woolf is one of the most respected members of the force. We know that," said DC Chris Skelton "Just think of what Harry's got to lose. His reputation, his pension, his friends, his colleagues... if Gerry's band of used up coppers try to wreck his fine career."

"You've got to tell DCI Hunt." said DC Annie Cartwright who radios the rest of 'C' Division.

"Got to tell me what?" asked DCI Gene Hunt lurking on his old 1985 Nintendo NES console having a late night arcade game session on _Pac-Man_.

"Well, it's all becoming clear now. Glances across the canteen. Late-night conversations in our office and DCI Gerry Standing sexually touched up Susan in the computer pools at Records."

"Okay. Promise me you won't overreact, Gene." said DC Sam Tyler sat with his young DCI.

"I hate bent police officers, so course I'll overreact!" DCI Hunt reacted indignantly.

"There's been an allegation from a dodgy Detective Chief Inspector about your old mentor DSI Harry Woolf; but we'll go through usual procedure to ensure he can't destroy our Guv."

"Don't tell me. But by the look on your face, you're going to tell me anyway..." sobbed 34 year old young new DCI Gene Hunt "There's been an accusation. There are procedures."

"DCI Gerry Standing thinks Harry Woolf is the mastermind in this allegation against 'A' Division, he's just a jealous old man who can't stand to see one of his ex young officers, successful." said Detective Constable Annie Cartwright about possible reasons for the allegation on the DSI.

Gene can't stop laughing. Sam starts laughing too.

In Interview room 4, after cheering themselves up; Gene and Sam press on with a recording.

"Now I could tell you about the number and variety of commendations Harry Woolf has been awarded in his long and illustrious career." said DCI Gene Hunt "And I could reel off a list of all the lowlifes and bent cops Harry Woolf has had removed from the streets. And I could, if I really wanted to, tell you about the number of officers that view Harry Woolf as the pinnacle of what it means to be a copper, myself included. But why would I bother with any of that when this is a much more effective means of communicating my distaste?" melting chocolate deliberately on to the sweaty 60-63 year old man with greying blonde hair, receeding slowly since the 1970s.

"And Harry Woolf's been trying to do that in 'A' Division for half our lifetime." said DCI Gene Hunt "when I saw his gold Granada Mk1 GXL, I thought it was the coolest car ever as a kid."

"DCI Standing's said what? The cheeky bugger!" said DSI Harry Woolf indignantly in his office.

"Luckily, Tyler here brought it to my attention." replied young DCI Gene Hunt showing the case notes, interview transcripts and recorded evidence to their Superintendent of 'C' Division. "A bitter old school copper whose career is on the wane."

"I should take it as a compliment, mind you. I must be getting to old DCI Standing. He's scared enough to get one of his lackeys to try to discredit me." DSI Harry Woolf tutted "I don't take the accusation of police corruption lightly. I value my reputation. I've worked a long time for it."

"I know that. But there's been an allegation and... We have a duty to investigate it." said Gene.

"You're good coppers, Tyler and Hunt. Standing must have really been worried, to try and set me up like this." smiled the Superintendent who has been in the police since the 1970s as a young long haired Detective Constable, in his twenties when Gerry's corruption first came to light.

"Of course, sir!" replied DCI Gene Hunt at just 34 had an idea of what policing should be about.

"Look at all the evidence, give it your full consideration, and if you think it's best investigated independently, then... report it to the Crown Prosecution Service. With my blessing." said DSI Harry Woolf to his best two officers of Greater Manchester Police's 'C' Division in Hyde.

"Have you not heard? There was a barney overnight in 'A' Division and poor Hazza was having to run the Custody desk, get those officers to sort their stories out in Interview and recording the lot on CCTV cameras inside that department." replied DCI Gene Hunt who rang up CPS on his 1990s Motorola mobile phone about last night's incident with his old mentor's support.

"One day, there's going to be a young recruit who will look to you to show him the way. He'll take his principles, his values, his beliefs, directly from you. When that day comes, if you're not good enough, if all you can tell him is to... keep your head down and don't cause any trouble, then there's no hope for any of us, is there?" said DC Sam Tyler to a uniformed constable.

DSI Harry Woolf eats breakfast in a cafe, visits Ladbrooks bookies and then makes a phone call to other units to find DCI Standing before he gets away with his two decade old police corruption.

"Trust your instincts, Tyler and Hunt. They're the only thing you can ever rely on. Oh, I should apologise. I made a phone call putting out an arrest appeal while I was in the bookie's."

"So Gerry bloody should be, throwing round that sort of accusation." remarked DCI Gene Hunt.

"I thought you'd want to know. I found out who was on custody duty last night. After all we've been through together. You've betrayed me!" shouted DC Sam Tyler angry over how a bent old Detective Chief Inspector could blackmail their Guv "Samuel James Tyler, please you were only four when DCI Standing's methods were still considered standard practice in the Police Force." reasoned Gene's old mentor "A lot of our female colleagues have also put in complaints against him for lewd behaviour towards them; yours were also affected by him Genie, my lovely lad."

"I made a bad call. My worst." Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf sighs "DCI Standing blackmailed me to get him off the charges we proposed; but I think there's another way we can catch DCI Standing; I've made a secret phone call in the Ladbrooks bookies to other units."

"Why didn't you let me in on this?" questioned young DCI Gene Hunt, wondering if he should have rightly been informed of any changes to DCI Standing's situation and couldn't blame his old mentor for struggling with the Guv he's had in his early days as a dashing Detective Constable.

"You see the sort of police officers we're dealing with here. I'm worried. Things are backfiring for me. Seen from a certain angle, I... Well, I don't have to tell you. DCI Standing's a devious snake, Gene. He's decided to go in for the kill. I'm sitting here vulnerable. I need your help! So... what are we going to do?" said DSI Harry Woolf "I've managed to get Uniform on his case and arrest him, have you now got him in one of the Interview rooms, waiting for questioning?"

"Well, well. What a pleasant surprise." said DCI Gerry Standing smirking at the two young male police officers in Interview Room 4 at the trouble he's caused for Gene's former mentor?

"Yeah, well, this game stops today." DCI Gene Hunt sat down facing the older Detective Chief Inspector as he presses Record on the black cassette recorder inside the clinically white room beginning another transcript at Interview Room 4.

"If you can find the roster, you're a better copper than me." Annie comes to help go through the papers and scan it for their own 'C' Division team in Hyde; Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf wants the details faxed immediately, to check for any inconsistencies on the Microsoft Excel 97 sheets.

"Oh, you knew me, did you? You know how it felt when the monkey sounds started? When the bananas were piled up outside your locker? If I made it through the 1970s without murdering a colleague, they ought to erect a statue of me." said an older black Detective Inspector who had been with 'A' Division since he was a young ethnic Detective Constable, who looked like the late Chief Constable Glen Fletcher.

"You knew what you were getting into when you first signed up in the 70s," sighed DCI Gene Hunt whom despite being the youngest Detective Chief Constable to grace Greater Manchester Police's 'C' Division in the Hyde area, knew it was a different world for ethnic police officers then.

"I didn't sign up to be a bloody standard-bearer. I mean, why should I have to fight all the red tape battles?" said the African Detective Inspector of nearly 23 years experience, moaned about the new changes DCI Gene Hunt and DSI Harry Woolf will implement towards 'A' Division's image after the mission. "So, your Guv likes a fry-up and a flutter on the gee-gees." He was nastily picking on Harry's fondness for a cooked breakfast and the occasional bet on the Ladbrooks horse races.

"Because if you don't, who will? Somebody has to be the first. Somebody has to take responsibility." said DC Sam Tyler knowing his onions as a young police officer, fresh out of uniform as he will become Gene's junior Detective Chief Inspector and esteemed partner.

"I don't mind you reporting DCI Gerry Standing, but staking out a senior officer is rather risky without access to CCTV cameras, just play it safe; Samuel." advised Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf leaving the Full Monty cafe, he just had an all day breakfast in with a blue ratty Triumph 2000 saloon, parked nearly for heaven knows how many years rusting in the spot.

"I thought you'd want to know. I found out who was on cell duty last night when DCI Gerry Standing blackmailed our Guv to release him without any charge?" asked DC Annie Cartwright guarding Gene's beloved Ford Sierra RS Sapphire as this area was known for young car thieves.

"Oh, yeah? Who?" replied DCI Gene Hunt being handed his Ford keys by his female Detective Constable and unlocks the driver's side to hop in, eating a McDonalds breakfast burger in one hand.

"Do you want to tell them, or shall I?" Annie said disgusted at the older ethnic Detective Inspector's management of the Custody suite on the night DSI Harry Woolf got blackmailed.

Now Gene seizes DI Tony Fincher and handcuffs him.

"I did what I was told. Ask DCI Standing, my Guv." The elder officer in question complains and spits at the heavily built but slim 34 year old male as he gets put into a Ford Transit Mk4 High Cube in late 1990s Greater Manchester Police livery in white after being read the 1994 updated caution.

"Mind your head, 'sir'" remarked Gene as two uniformed plods closed the back doors.

Meanwhile in the canteen of Greater Manchester Police's Stopford House main premises, Gene and his 'C' Division team are talking to Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf who wept in silence over what his old Detective Chief Inspector during Gene's mentor's early days in the Seventies did.

"This MARS undercover mission would show that everything was policing the way I needed, but Standing as usual was setting me up to take the fall." wept DSI Harry Woolf still scared of his former Guv even after all these years; even though he is old enough to be his ex DI's father.

"I've tolerated that stammering bastard stepping on my turf for years. Now he's overstepped the mark and became Superintendent." snarled DCI Gerry Standing aggressively with his tone as per usual, nothing's changed over twenty four years.

"DSI Harry Woolf has not crossed the pavement in policing!" young DCI Gene Hunt stood up for his former mentor who showed him the ropes in CID since he was first promoted to DC in the mid 1980s.

"And this ends here! Because I say so. All right? I've still got evidence from the old days. Times, dates, photos. I've got him where I want him: with my officers!" smiled DCI Gerry Standing "None of this investigation is true. DCI Hunt. And you... ...his precious protégé."

"You're lying, DCI Standing." said Gene firmly "You dirty scumbag! The likes of you don't deserve to be police officers in the Force!"

"No, I should've intervened sooner, but I wanted to see how it was going to go. Oh, and you two, obviously with your posh 'C' Division coppers. Blundering into things you didn't understand. You must've panicked my team."

"You underestimated me. You underestimated us." DCI Gene Hunt bit out in rising temper.

Now Gene loses his temper outside the Interview room, slamming the door. "You can cover for me, Sammy and Annie dude otherwise I'll just be swearing nine to the dozen..." taking a favourite chewy sweet and an occasional Benson & Hedges cigarette. Because he was the better man ever since his violent father used to frequently beat him, his younger brother and mum up as a child.

Gene, in the doorway, turns and leaves heading for his white Ford Sierra RS Sapphire.

DC Chris Skelton at just 20 runs after his young Guv, fourteen years his senior since Christopher was only born in 1977 during the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee year, as he barely remembers the Seventies.

"Guv...!" DC Chris Skelton called after DCI Gene Hunt with DC Sam Tyler checking on his dear mate and esteemed colleague. "Our young Guv knows you'll behave exactly like his old man."

"Well, go on, lad. Run after him, then." smirked DCI Standing at the old childhood memory he's just selfishly triggered for Gene without any thought, since it was 10 years ago in 1987 since he last witnessed his father's violence in the Lancashirian terraced house, he grew up in somewhere in Central Manchester, 1970s.

In daylight, Gene sits on the front of the Sierra RS Sapphire saloon, smoking and chewing a Wham raspberry chewy sweet. He strokes his chin thoughtfully. Sam comes and sits next to him.

"I've never lived up to stupid Standing, the whole of me working life since starting in '82." whispered DCI Gene Hunt "He's not a good police officer, though, is he? Those failed police assignments spanned four divisions. Multiple investigations. Time that could have been spent going after the correctly identified rapists, murderers, criminals and bent cops. (a beat) Why would Standing do this?"

"I could start the procedure for an internal investigation?" said DC Sam Tyler asking politely.

"Like hell you will. We investigate this out ourselves. That's what I was taught." said Gene wisely.

"Just get him out the area for an hour, with a temporary dispersing order for DCI Standing, Hazza, got that, Guv?" over his 1990s Motorola mobile phone to Superintendent Harry Woolf.

"Yeah, but... what if he cottons on?" asked DC Chris Skelton unsure, not feeling confident.

"What sort of police officer are you, Christopher?" asked Gene Hunt in his position of 14 years senior "Are you going to be a name which the local underworld knows, get into the thick of arresting the criminals, thugs or will you let people walk all over you?" teaching Chris how it should be done.

"Give me the list of those botched undercover assignment dates. My informants knew all along. We're in a goldmine of cold case info!" said DCI Gene Hunt excitedly as if it was a Man City football match going on inside the disused old 'A' Division's DCI office partition area with sellotape on the dark brown wooden doors glass. "Yes, this will have the old DCI banged up!"

"It's all circumstantial. Gerry's hardly going to crack under interrogation. Which without submitting our new evidence to the CPS is not going to stand up in court." said 28 year old DC Sam Tyler "So we need to take the list of ruined undercover assignments and date them in chronological order, along with old statements, photos and original officers' testimonies."

"How many villains and bent coppers have I put away? Does that earn me something?" said Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf collecting the hidden goldmine of failed undercover operations from DCI Gerry Standing's office with the help of his 'C' Division team including Gene.

Gene nods with his head, for the annual Greater Manchester Police ball he is going to submit his former mentor DSI Harry Woolf for the Long Service and Bravery commendation awards, in the face of a so-called allegation thrown about by his old Guv from Woolf's early days in the 1970s; he remained his usual collected self during 'C' Division investigation on 'A' Division's longest serving but extremely corrupt Detective Chief Inspector since 1973 after promotion by then promoted DCI Frank Rathbone who is now nearly sixty eight to around seventy years of age.

_DCI Gerry Standing (b. 1933-1937) has been stationed in Greater Manchester Police for most of his career after two years of National Service (in the 1950s). Growing up in 1940s Salford his violent family background of underworld boxers meant he found assaulting people in temper normal and sees nothing wrong with domestic violence or police corruption in general. The first police officer Standing worked alongside with, - hanged himself in prison due to a corruption scandal occurring which given the time it took place, became more aggressive as he risen through the ranks in Lancashire Constable during 1953-1967 throughout 14 years of his career. 1967 on transfer to Manchester & Salford Police as a Detective Inspector, then Detective Chief Inspector Frank Rathbone covered up for him very frequently; this man would help Standing destroy and manufacture evidence (not caring if the person was guilty or innocent). The same patterns of corrupt behaviour within the 'A' Division unit continued well into 1972, five years of no officers raising an eyebrow to his unacceptably out of control behaviour. When DCI Frank Rathbone promoted to Detective Superintendent; a year later in 1973 Gerry Standing became the town of Salford's youngest DCIs just still in his thirties where he ran 'A' Division under a dangerously relaxed regime towards departmental discipline, frequently breaking procedure up until now in the present day of -/-/1997 when 'C' Division in Hyde of the GMP service ran by 34 year old DCI Eugene Hunt found serious profound failed assignments from DCI Standing in the two decades across four divisions throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s in the course of their investigation into historical police corruption codename MARS. DCI Gerry Standing was impressive in his day but is not a police officer for today's Internet age, needs to be suspended on the grounds of retirement and is considered to be a product of his time (1950s-1980s)._

"So what's these staff appraisals then?" asked DC Chris Skelton glancing the lines of trophies, statuettes and medals on the award giving tables in their uniform blue tablecloths with the Greater Manchester Police badge in the middle.

"Well you can nominate fellow police officers for several categories; but you cannot vote for yourself as per the rules. Think of the BAFTA's but for police officers." said the 28 year old Detective Constable who was almost Lewis Collin's spitting image since Sam Tyler often modelled himself on his and Gene's hero in The Professionals, from William Bodie during the early 1980s when they were growing up.

"It's also feedback and a written report about your qualities as a police officer, where you can improve on your weak spots." piped up 34 year old DCI Gene Hunt before he chats up female colleagues putting his unmistakable stamp on the event using the classic Gene Genie charm to impress them.

"Thank you." said DSI Harry Woolf proudly as he finishes off a long speech in front of the audience of former, current police officers with the new cadets watching walking from the podium to collect his trophy and medals.

* * *

SATURDAY - THE COURT CASE AGAINST DCI GERRY STANDING

DCI Gene Hunt places his hand on the Bible stood at a court podium "I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." he recited off by heart since he was one of the main witnesses undercover in 'A' Division of the main Stopford House premises of Greater Manchester Police from his 'C' Division team over from the other side of town in Hyde.

"Good afternoon, Chief Inspector Eugene Hunt. As we have heard, Mr Mackay says he was the victim of no more than an unfortunate 'brutality' accident. Bearing in mind you was, a witness; can you confirm that what you witnessed inside 'A' Division was an accident?"

Gene glances around the courtroom with the female barrister waiting for an answer from the young Detective Chief Inspector.

"Mr Eugene Hunt?" she asked at her main Magistrates Court seat podium.

"I know what you'd like me to say. But I know what I saw. And what I seen was DCI Gerry Standing kicking seven types of police brutality on witnesses unfortunate to be in Mr. Standing's collar especially when they couldn't present all the facts asked of them in the Interview rooms."

He points at the disgraced older DCI; there is a murmur in the court.

The sentencing against DCI Gerry Standing.

"Do you find this defendant guilty or not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm despite his 44 years as a policeman across four divisions of Manchester, since 1953?"

Jury foreman fiddles with his pockets "Guilty, but Mr. Standing's Superintendent wants to appeal the case against his protégé."

"You are joking me?! No, please it means having to find even more evidence!" begged 34 year old DCI Gene Hunt wearing his other suit reserved for Court and Social Services meetings when the judge bangs his gavel twice.

"I saw you destroy a witness's life." said young DCI Gene Hunt wearing a stripy tie in black and white. "I'll bring you down next time, you bent copper! The likes of you deserve to rot in an old people's home!"

"I made him. I broke him. He's not the first and he won't be the last." The older DCI laughed and snorted at Gene in front of his esteemed 'C' Division colleagues of Greater Manchester Police, clearly making Sam Tyler feel uncomfortable in the encounter with DSI Frank Rathbone grinning.

"DCI Standing broke the victim's hand and the witness's life." explained Gene Hunt to his colleagues stood in front of the white board and creamy white computer terminal.

DC Sam Tyler carries out a reconstruction while still inside 'C' Division CID "You may remember DCI Gerry Standing threatening the victim's life, in front of a dozen or so witnesses. At the courthouse?"

"Look, there's got to be some kind of mistake, Guv." said 20 year old DC Chris Skelton lacing up his Addias trainers and smoothing his denim jeans "I'm wondering how DCI Standing has managed to guilt trip the jury or did former DSI Frank Rathbone tell one of his usual stories?"

"Gerry must remember something, he can't have been that drunk." said DC Annie Cartwright wary of alcohol induced memory problems that could occur when alcoholics became aged.

"Yeah, oh, shit if we don't have enough evidence to take back into the Magistrates Court; when the judge, barrister, lawyers, CPS and jury resume our case against DCI Standing;" worried as the tell tale sign of 'C' Division's youngest ever Detective Chief Inspector with Gene's arms loose and his suit slightly more open. "Because if this case goes the way it looks like it's going towards a 'not guilty', I want you to lead the investigation, Sammy." asked DCI Hunt who wanted to ensure any other evidence against Standing is water tight this time round and no one can dispute his team's findings.

"You need my help, Gene?" asked DC Sam Tyler wearing his trademark suit and blue silk tie.

"Yeah, under such circumstances I do." said the lanky but tall male seven years older "It'll be good to have an extra pair of hands at base, just in case I get stuck in long meetings or there's lectures I need to be at." said 34 year old DCI Gene Hunt combing and tidying his long mullet.

"DCI Gerry Standing was hammered. And he did threaten the victim." as DCI Gene Hunt explains his theories on this Operation MARS case from a new prospective; "It looks bad, since there were missed opportunities a decade ago to suspend him from the Greater Manchester Police service."

"Gene's doing an overview isn't he?" said DC Annie Cartwright "We were all in court yesterday. Now, you know as well as I do that something smelt bad about the whole sabotaging of our investigation." steadfast determined to add another string to her career as a police woman.

Some of DCI Standing's older colleagues pester Gene for confidential details on their Guv when he, Sam, Chris and Annie return to the main Stopford House premises at 'A' Division's CID main hub.

"What's— what's happening with the guv? There's no way he murdered—!" Ray Carling protested angrily nearly punching Gene, but misses his target as the much younger taller male moves over quickly. "Bastard! That's all we need!" he punches some nudie magazines.

"Gene Hunt. Acting DCI. As your corrupt boss currently languishes in a holding cell on a murder charge, the powers that be have seen fit to replace him, albeit temporarily, I'm sure we all hope, with me. As far as you're concerned, for the immediate future, I am the word and the law."

"We'll start with one-on-ones in my office, please, which would be...?" ordered DCI Gene Hunt "Well, let's see where the evidence takes us. I'll lead the first interview." in his sure as tone.

"What did he say, Tyler senior? What's he like?" The others of 'A' Division gather round to hear.

"Well, this young Eugene Hunt seems very... professional." he replied nodding slightly in the main room "Well, yeah, Ray. Under the circumstances, I think it probably is." explained Detective Inspector Vic Tyler who was used to keeping 'A' Division in order as he's been in charge of the department since his early 20s from 1973 onwards.

"Did you get that from him or did he get that from you?" laughed Detective Sergeant Ray Carling in a mocking tone teasing their returned Detective Inspector, who will put a transfer request to be another Superintendent with DSI Harry Woolf in the Hyde premises of Greater Manchester Police a tram ride away from Salford.

"Well, he's from our Hyde station, isn't he?" said DI Vic Tyler who is Sam Tyler's father born in 1952; whom returned to his marriage to his mum Ruth Tyler, 24 years overdue but better late than never resuming his former post temporarily until DSI Harry Woolf can sort his transfer papers for the Hyde premises of Greater Manchester Police.

"Hmph. And we all know what they're like. Don't we?" sneered Detective Inspector Jeffrey Bevan "Bunch of by the book police officers with a baby faced Guv that looks nothing more than a teenager!" with his gritty accent as he covers his bacon roll in smeared tomato sauce.

Gene and Sam come into Interview Room 1 to interview DCI Gerry Standing with Annie, Harry and Chris observing from the two way mirror writing their notes glancing through the window.

"Acting DCI Hunt will be... conducting the interview." explained Detective Constable Sam Tyler "We're from Hyde 'C' Division of Greater Manchester Police." showing his landyard badge.

DCI Standing sarcastically in tone using the formal variant of Gene's first name "Oh, great! What's your Eugene like?" a rude, menacing tone "I don't want see-through. I want fast!" as if he was still running 'A' Division like it's the 1970s with his bronze Cortina and having old fashioned punch ups.

"He leads the investigation. There are no deals." explained DC Sam Tyler who felt just like his boss, even though he is seven years younger than Gene Hunt. He states the arrest terms.

Gerry acquired a shirt from his dated 1970s fashion sense, sitting smoking a cigarette as Gene tries to wave the smoke away from his laptop, police notebook, pens and the cassette recorder.

"Look... I will ensure that this investigation is carried out in as transparent— You are a murder suspect." Gene chuckles at his own explanation of the disgraced and washed up Detective Chief Inspector whom rolls his eyes swearing, after Sam explained he was still under arrest.

"Oh, fuck!" muttered DCI Gerry Standing when he sees Gene put the tape in and presses Record.

"This should have been standard practice in your department, like the rest of Greater Manchester Police already had since it first became compulsory. You are no exception from the rules that protect the fabric of policing!" said Gene in a military commanding tone; dating from his Police Cadet days in the early 1980s.

"17th July 1997, present at interview are: DC Sam Tyler, DCI Gene Hunt. Suspect is DCI Gerry Standing." said Gene into the cassette recorder.

Gene puts a sealed plastic evidence bag forward.

"Same firearm calibre as 70s police issue." showing Gerry Standing a dated police pistol gun "Exhibit G2."

Another bag. A bloodstained shirt. "DCI Standing's clothing. Stained with blood. Exhibit C1."

DCI Hunt opens a blue folder containing a thick neat stack of civilian witness statements against DCI Gerry Standing.

"Witness statement from a neighbour annoyed by swearing and several counts of Public Order, Section 5 breaches. She looked out of her window to see this man—" DCI Gene Hunt paused to reveal more pieces of evidence putting them on the Interview table with Sam's help.

He holds up a photo of Gerry and then places it down on the table in front of the disgraced older Detective Chief Inspector who is the main suspect "Throwing a brick through the victim's window at 12:00 AM midnight. Then shouting from the same man at 3:30 AM. Based on that night's incident at 4:00 AM." said DC Sam Tyler running through the MS Word 97 document which had an in depth detailed timeline of Gerry's criminal damage and Public Order Act 1985 offenses.

"I understand that you claim to have no memory at all of any events 11:30 PM last night, 16th July 1997 and waking up in the victim's house at half past seven this morning." stated DCI Gene Hunt "With your history of alcohol abuse, I'm not surprised as my female Detective Constable, Cartwright found a hidden link between alcoholics and memory problems as the subject gets older." factually "Quite a lot to forget, don't you think?" with the dreamy blue eyed look of his.

Smoke curls up from Gerry's extinguished cigarette, he says nothing now.

Sam and Gene are out into the corridor after processing DCI Standing through to Custody. Chris is waiting desperate to ask his boss of 14 years senior over him about the interview with DCI Standing as the star suspect.

"You all right, Guv?" asked the jet black haired 20 year old bursting with excitement.

"Never been better, Christopher - the sooner we get those last bits of evidence, the sooner we can finally nail this bent copper to retirement." said DCI Gene Hunt carting the man to Custody presumably.

Unfortunately 52 year old Ray Carling just had to burst in to defend his corrupt boss of twenty four years "It's a fit-up, guv. It's obvious." in DCI Gerry Standing's sight still handcuffed.

He is talking to Gene Hunt and Sam Tyler like they're idiots, talking down the two young police officers like children. They carry on walking down to the Custody wing ignoring 'A' Division. "Nothing. I just... I never thought I'd hear the phrase public relations in Stopford House station's CID, Gene."

Sam goes into a shabby terraced house, converted into small bedsits. There's a kitchen right by the door, and a Bangladeshi man cooking curry in it. "I'm looking for an old colleague of DCI Standing?"

Sam walks past, to the next door. He knocks. There's music playing.

"Police please, open the door." showing his Greater Manchester Police warrant card through the letter box.

A man with greying hair opens the shabbily painted green blue door. His eyes were red with exhaustion, after drinking so much beer to blot out the painful reminders that he accidentally killed a Woman's Police Constable and clearly doesn't want to talk about his days in Greater Manchester Police.

It was now retired Detective Inspector Dave McKay who revealed he was asked to kill a now deceased WPC on the orders of his former boss DCI Gerry Standing.

"You were lying, weren't you, in court? Was no accident, was it? DCI Standing beat you up for speaking up against him." said Detective Constable Sam Tyler who found a beer bottle near McKay's feet.

"I suppose it does nae matter now, does it, eh? Aye. He hit me, did this after I gave evidence against the Guv in court." pointing to the blue bruises and dried up blood on his face; there is also a broken hand wrapped in a bandage.

"Why?" DC Sam Tyler probed gently.

"Had it coming. Decent wages wasn't enough. I stole from him. Broke into his office after the fight in '76 at CID. Broke his heart. So he broke my hand. I let him down.."

"Which money did you steal?" Sam questioned.

"All I know is that me ex DCI and Superintendent kept their cash in a money box in their office."

Gene Hunt is wearing a purplish-pink striped shirt "In spite of your inappropriate behaviour, under the circumstances I am willing to release DCI Standing on police bail. On condition—"

"Conditions? I think you better stop accusing an older police officer of 42-44 years experience as before joining the police, Standing did two years National Service." laughing at DCI Gene Hunt's 'C' Division team and giving 28 year old DC Sam Tyler the elbow clearly interrupting the young DCI.

"Well, I think I've already explained that we're awaiting further testimony before sending the case up to the CPS for a charge decision." explained DCI Gene Hunt getting interrupted as he spoke to the older police officer's lawyer. "—That he reports— —To the police—"

"D'you know, there were moments in that interview when I despaired that we would be faced with denial, swearing and no comments." Gene was signing his name on to the statement.

Gene and Sam walk down the steps of the main Stopford House premises returning to their cars, heading for the long ride back on the other side of town to Greater Manchester Police's Hyde station.

"DCI Standing was past his prime, but, er... if you wanted to see a bent copper who is a real fighter, spitting blood, balls like a buffalo, he was your man. Let me know what you find."

"I should do that?" Sam knew that keeping his Detective Chief Inspector informed of any changes to evidence was a must "'Cause we're both good coppers. Keys." as he gestured for his black Ford keys that had the Ghia design in front of the round Ford oval.

Sam hands over Gene's car keys and Gene goes to his Ford Granada Mk2 Ghia X saloon.

Meanwhile at Hyde's 'C' Division of Greater Manchester Police; Chris and Morgan are being talked to by DSI Harry Woolf.

"I want you to keep DCI Standing under close surveillance via CCTV cameras and unmarked cars. Gene knows what he's up against with him, and we know what he's capable of. I wouldn't want any of our witnesses experiencing some of his more... abrupt methods of persuasion."

Gene gets his 'C' Division team round with a penny for their thoughts "Well, unless you think this particular... suspect deserves special treatment because he's a retiring police officer?" he mused waiting for some responses, the case against DCI Standing has caused some stress within the younger ones and females of the unit.

"Good. Look, I know it's not a very pleasant job, but I'm sure you will all do it to the best of your abilities." said Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf "We need to rebuild public confidence in the police force. An efficient investigation is one way, public relations is another."

DCI Hunt takes over from his former mentor "I want every officer in this Hyde force of the GMP out looking for Standing. I want him found and when you find him, I want to know where he's been!"

DSI Frank Rathbone tried to destroy vital VHS tapes of CCTV footage by smashing up the black video cassettes whenever the observation van was left parked whenever 'C' Division rotated their shifts during their CCTV recordings of key places which Salford's GMP's CID were known to frequent through a mix of eyewitnesses and information from Microsoft Word 97.

"That kind of incompetence might be acceptable to DCI Standing, but I can assure you it is not acceptable to me! Now get out of my sight!" when Harry Woolf summons 'A' Division for discipline away from their normal environment after he receives yet more complaints.

"The guv's no killer! Tosser!" muttered DS Carling, only a few years younger than Standing as they had everything in common, apart from which football team the men supported.

DCI Gene Hunt leans on DC Chris Skelton's desk lowering his voice with empathise on the importance of concepts like Due Process and the burden of proof.

"I wasn't expecting much from Greater Manchester Police's Stopford House's CID, but Christ! How in the hell can you operate as an effective officer in a place like 'A' Division?"

People begin to get up to their desktop PC's, in the collator's den, at fax machines or pick up phones to begin the biggest investigation into the Salford area of Greater Manchester Police for historical corruption.

Meanwhile a band of angry 'A' Division officers from Salford descend into a huge brawl at the Railway Arms pub; which 'C' Division from the Hyde area of Manchester have been called into yet again. DCI Gene Hunt with colleague DC Sam Tyler get them to sort their stories out arresting the older police officers for being drunk and disorderly; carting them to the waiting Ford Transit Hi-Cube outside as it was 1:00 AM the next day, Saturday.

"The best thing we can do, the only thing we can do, is our job." said 28 year old Detective Constable Sam Tyler wearing his leather jacket with his collared shirt open around the neck.

"So we gather evidence, we make our case, and we bring them in." replied 34 year old DCI Gene Hunt briefing his 'C' Division team quickly before they collect the chronic alcoholics busy stewing over his methods of policing; it turns ugly when the older 'A' Division officers find out that Gene is the new DCI; Detective Superintendent Harry Woolf wants for the Salford area of Greater Manchester Police at Stopford House station.

"Shut up!" one snarled squaring up to the new and young Detective Chief Inspector.

"What I'm trying to say—" paused Gene de-escalating the heated situation in time.

"I don't care what you're trying to say. So shut your sodding mouth, young Gene Hunt!" yelled Detective Inspector Derek Litton nearly punching Gene, but narrowly misses his target.

"Don't do something you might regret." he warned putting handcuffs on the 52 year old man, who's worked in Greater Manchester Police since 1960 under it's previous names.

"What I do regret is the day you walked onto my beat, Gene Hunt. Now, you might get to be my DCI, but don't think for one minute you'll be a tenth of the copper Gerry Standing was!" he spits back at the 34 year old when he lashes out at the arresting uniformed constables.

"You're good policemen, sir. You've taught and shown me a lot. But 'A' Division won't be the same without their guv." said 20 year old DC Chris Skelton who was well aware of the challenges he faces helping Gene Hunt re-image 'A' Division for the first time in nearly 20 years.

* * *

**Will DCI Gene Hunt get to make a difference in his new position? **


	2. Nightclubbing and a cool new Ford

**I decided to update and add in the finished story on my BBC Life on Mars UK and New Tricks crossover fanfiction on Gene's Hunt's first day as Detective Chief Inspector which is set in 1997, so here's the rest of what happened on his first day aged nearly 34 years old.**

* * *

"Going to take some getting' used to…every time someone calls me 'Guv' I look 'round for Harry." Gene smiled back

"To our new Guv'nor!" cheered the CID police officers, cheers that went up was deafening.

DC Sam Tyler knocked his glass against Gene's. "You did well, Guv," he grinned. "You earned it, though. You're a sound copper." said the slim 28 year old man with jet black hair.

"The boys and girls are proud t'be CID, and you and the Guv…uh…Superintendent Woolf, he's done that." said a 23 year old DC Chris Skelton who felt proud and had respect for the boss, to be a Detective Chief Inspector at just 34 years old; even though Gene's own Guv had to wait until he was 39 for such a privileged position.

Gene had been hoping to be picked as the DCI, but he knew there were no guarantees – another officer could have been brought in, someone from another station or even a different force. It gave him pride.

Gene drove a short distance, pulling up outside one of his favourite greasy spoons. "C'mon, I'm buying,"

Once they were both sitting at the formica table, full English breakfasts swimming in grease in front of them, Gene smiled. "Can't tell anyone else this – 'kay? Not for a week or so, anyway."

Chris nodded, leaning forwards.

"I'll be promoting you up to DI – you're one of my sound coppers, everyone gets along with yer, and could probably do with the extra wages, too, with the kid sibling of yours. Soon as I can get it sorted, ASAP."

He knew other people would agree with the choice - it was always important for a new DCI to make decisions that were approved of by his team. "Good call, Bo…Guv." Gene laughed.

"Yeah, I thought so," Gene said, immodestly, scooping up some beans and a piece of sausage. "I want you and your parents lookin' for somewhere better, right? I won't 'ave my officers and their families livin' in digs worse than the criminals we remove off the streets."

Gene nodded. "You know me, know how I work guys. I can trust you lot. I know you won't let me down."

Chris nodded silently. Then decided a speech like that probably warranted a reply. "I won't, Guv. An' thank you."

Gene waved his fork to dismiss the thanks. "Just don't tell anyone, not yet. Not least because I don't think some of the old boys of CID could handle another night on the party tiles in my favourite nightclubs, since some prefer a boring old boozer."

Sam smiled and he held out his hand. "Congratulations, Detective Inspector Skelton."

Chris smiled again. "Cool!"

Sam nodded in agreement "He was my best friend when I was four. Had a bit of history since 1973, too,"

Chris nodded. "How come you knew 'im then as a 9 or 10 year old boy?"

"We both knew we always wanted to be police officers for as long as I could remember." said DC Sam Tyler remembering their first encounter in 1973 playing with their toy _Corgi_ Ford Cortinas "when I was only a kid and my dad Vic left Manchester, he helped me through some dark times over the years even though he was only a kid himself."

Everyone knew that way before Harry's Woolf's time as DCI, CID and Uniform didn't mix.

Gene always drove to another city – Leeds, Sheffield, Blackpool or similar to take his team out clubbing to avoid the 90s Madchester scene as that was associated with illegal drugs. In the far away clubs, music got louder, and a waft of warm air washed over them and the sounds of a bass, happy hardcore beat could be heard.

Gene Hunt and his mates returned to the same club a few times, liking the crowds and the atmosphere. He kept a close eye on the police reports from the area, checking it had never been raided or come under suspicion as there was too many times where he was assigned to nightclubs who did so back in Manchester.

Gene saved up some of his new wages and bought himself a new car to go with his new flat. It was the first car he'd ever bought from new, and he was immensely proud of it. He had a good job, a nice flat and a new car. All things he had never imagined having when he was younger as a child and teenager.

When Gene first clapped eyes on the rich blue Ford Scorpio he gave a low whistle, running one black leather gloved hand over the roof.

He decides to ring Sam on his Motorola mobile phone all about his new Ford executive mobile"Thought the old Sierra were lettin' the side down a bit in the car park."

Gene's very first car which was a bronze Ford Cortina Mk3, an ex CID car had been a rusty heap of bolts which seemed to break down more often than it went. He knew it was because there was no point in buying anything nice where he lived as a child in Manchester during the 70s and 80s – you'd only have the tyres slashed or the paintwork damaged.

"So, gonna give us a test run, Guv?" Sam asked, reaching for the door handle.

Gene looked across to his best friend. "Sixteen valve engine," he paused "Top of the range with a CD player." containing his own excitement, "Very bloody nice indeed," Gene said, looking around him using the power steering to it's full potential "and it's an automatic, making it easier to catch the suspects without having to manually change gears."

Gene sat back in the raven black leather driving seat, opened the electric window and let the wind ruffle his long hair.

DCI Gene Hunt's new car getting appreciative glances from everyone – definitely the envy of most people at the station – his new flat seemed perfect in every way and for once, life seemed sweet. He slid his key into the lock and let himself in, appreciating, as he always did, how much brighter and more welcoming his new home was, compared to his old digs.

* * *

**Now complete, hope you like it!**


	3. With DCI Comes Great Responsibility

**DCI Gene Hunt knows that with new powers comes with great responsibility like in some of the Marvel Spiderman movies he watched. Someone was picking on Detective Constable Sam Tyler for no reason, accuses his right hand man and best friend since childhood with a dangerous intent of homophobia.**

* * *

Gene had ignored it at first – it wasn't a crime to lose a few night's sleep, not with the things they saw every day or a late night on the PC terminals or sorting through the admin that came with running Greater Manchester Police CID, but now it was becoming more serious. Gene knew he had a responsibility now, beyond friendship – he was the Guv'nor, and if someone on his team was having any sort of trouble it was his job to set it right and keep CID working smoothly and efficiently.

"Thought we were mates," he finally said, deciding that a guilt trip might be the way to go.

Sam was worried sick "Guv, mate?"

"Sammy dude, what's up?" asked Gene frowning in bed over the landline telephone.

"You still got a spare set of keys, to my place?" DC Sam Tyler asked, it wasn't like his normal tone of voice "I... think... the locals have accused me of being bisexual... because I'm slim, have jet black hair and pretty for a man..."

"fuckin' locals, this is a police emergency, isn't it? What else have they been doing crime wise and tell me everything!" Gene may be very young for a Detective Chief Inspector, but it was his responsibility to occasionally check in his colleagues of CID regardless of rank.

"Sit tight, Sammy" Gene sighed theatrically. "I'm on me way."

Sam was looking down on the patch of grass in front of the block, where some kids had just started a game of football, still wearing their school uniforms. They seemed so carefree as they chased around the worn grass and mud, and he wondered why his mum Ruth was always a single parent after his dad left Manchester out of the blue in 1973.

"So, what 'appened then?"

DC Tyler began, knowing that he could trust Gene, and that he couldn't let the anti social behaviour and threats continue without trying to do something. As a police officer, he knew he had already been a bit stupid, not telling his colleagues in CID about it.

"Guessed that," Gene answered. "What sort of trouble?"

There have been written references in the notes to suggest anything to Gene about his sexuality, but they also knew the old boys in CID wouldn't be sensitive and undestanding about Sam Tyler's sexuality.

"I'm a bisexual," Sam said, and Gene had no idea if he was ending his sentence or making a statement.

"You're not," he blurted out. But he knew by the look Sam Tyler gave him that he was wrong. "But you're normal!" he protested.

Gene had a hundred thoughts running through his head, but they all came back to the same point as he read through the unopened letters full of threats, both handwritten and word processed.

Sam shrugged "It ain't a choice. You don't wake up one day an' think 'I know, I'll fancy another bloke'…it just…it's…it's just the same as fancyin' the ladies. You don't know why you do it, you just do it." He still couldn't believe this wasn't some sort of stupid prank or homophobic nutters.

Gene tried to think rationally. He told himself to ignore this sudden disconcerting revelation about his best friend and concentrate on the fact some scum where obviously out to hurt one of his best police officers.

"You can't stay 'ere, not when some nutter's makin' threats like that, Sammy. Get changed, pack some things. Tomorrow we'll get to the bottom of this."

The car journey was silent. Gene was glad that being the boss meant he didn't have to report to anyone, and if he clocked off early no one would notice.

"Yeah, love. An' tonight. He's…there's just a bit of bother, at his. Needs to sleep 'ere and I'll put him under police protection."

Tess as Gene's girlfriend rolled her eyes but smiled. "I'll have to put new sheets on the spare bed. And I was going to do chops tonight, but I only bought two, so it'll be shepherds pie instead, okay?"

Gene grinned, pressing up against her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "'Course it is." He planted a kiss on her neck and headed back to the sitting room.

"When they bumped me to DI in '88 just before you graduated the police cadets, and you got harmed in that fight from some of the old CID boys, I put two and two together... oh Sam, I didn't know you fancied both male and female, how stupid am I?" said Gene feeling guilty that the 70s generation of CID officers have put his best friend since childhood in danger, 9 years ago.

"I dunno. I think…he looked familiar, but I can't place 'im." said DC Sam Tyler squeezing his eyes closed. He remembers the description sheet typed up on to the computers and e-mailed around to the whole of CID.

"Someone we've pulled into the Custody suite?" Gene asked, leaning forward.

"I don't know. I only saw 'im for a moment. Dark hair, average build, thirties, maybe younger…in a brown car. Austin Metro, I think. I didn't see the plates and get a chance to write it into the notebook."

Gene nodded slowly. "We'll look into it officially, tomorrow."

Gene screeched to a halt in the car park, stepping out and looking up at the block of flats. He glanced around at the surrounding area, the scrubby patch of grass where the kids played football and the row of shops opposite. He glanced across at Sam, then began walking toward the shops, some which were abandoned and last used in the 1960s or 1970s when the council flats were brand spanking new.

Sam pushed open the door to the hairdresser's, immediately assaulted by the smells of shampoo and hairspray. The woman who sat behind the counter looked up, smiling, then frowned. "I'm sorry, Sir, we only deal with female clients," she said quickly.

"Not 'ere for a shampoo and set, love," Gene answered, flashing his warrant card. "Wanted to know if you saw what 'appened 'ere yesterday. Car drove off at speed, brown Austin Metro - early 80s model, after a fight."

The hairdressing woman nodded. "I did – I saw it, two blokes, one chasin' the other. He caught 'im too, and there was a fight – just over there it were," she pointed to the entrance to the car park. "But the one who was runnin', his mate must've been in the car waitin', and he got in it. But the one chasing – big bloke, thuggish-lookin', he caught 'em again, hangin' onto the car he were, but then the car door 'it that lamp-post over there, see, an' it knocked 'im off." She nodded again, as if to emphasise the point. "Recognise 'em anywhere, I would."

Gene shot a look at his best friend, too scared to talk after what happened and written every word into the police ledger. "Is that right, love," he said. "Anythin' else you can tell us? Description of the car? Plates?"

The woman sucked her teeth. "It was or could've been a B registration '84 or '85, maybe…and eight, a one? And the letters, they were JPS, like the old cigarettes. I remember that. It were brown – horrible colour for a car, I think. Don't know what sort of shade of beige or brown."

Gene smiled, noting everything down. "Thank you, love."

The woman smiled. "You think you'll catch 'em? This used to be such a nice area, families an' all. Now there's young people with their rap music blarin' out, cars racing around at all hours."

Gene looked out across the grass, where an old couple walked their dog and two chav mothers pushed prams along the pavement smoking and swearing at their children. It didn't exactly strike him as a hotbed of unrest at first, but he was probably looking through the rose tinted spectacles of a 1970s childhood.

"We'll get 'em, don't you worry, love," he reassured.

Sam gave a smile and childish grin "Yeah, well, she gave us a clue on the plates, didn't she?"

"We'll ring the DVLA wotsit office. If they pull their fingers out of their arses and get on to their computerised database we might even have a reply by tonight or tomorrow."

As soon as they reached the office Gene made some enquiries with the local vehicle licensing office and was promised that they would call back, fax or e-mail as soon as anything had been found out.

"They'll call, fax or e-mail back," he announced quietly to the trusted members of CID.

"Door's dented. I reckon this is it." as he and Sam check through the list and came up correct, as it had been raided and opened with the giant red enforcer tool.

Gene looked across at him. "You gonna be okay doing this?"

"C'mon then, Sammy mate."

"Right you're under arrest on suspicion of hate crime and homophobia, we've got questions an' you better 'ave some fuckin' answers." Gene secured the man's other arm and they dragged him back toward the waiting Ford Transit High Cube arrest van.

"anything you do or say, may be given in evidence which you later rely on in court, you have the right to remain silent." said DC Sam Tyler being brave and helping his friend DCI Gene Hunt finish reading the updated 1994 version of the police caution.

He wriggled into the corner, his hands now secured behind his back with handcuffs.

Gene towered over him. "Is that your car outside – the brown Austin Metro?"

The man nodded, clearly terrified. "It…he…he didn't tell me you were a copper."

"Who was with you the day before yesterday – when you met my Detective Constable and best friend of 24 years?"

The man stayed slumped in the back of the Transit, keeping low in the seat as Gene and Sam locked the doors and approached the block of flats that he had directed them to.

Gene knew he wouldn't let his friend down. "It'll work out. Okay? So we'll deal with it, right?"

It is the late 1990s and the era of Cool Britannia, for God's sake, but still frowned upon by some sections of society, and most definitely not by the police force, though some of the older CID police officers held very dated and old fashioned views.

"What did I do to you?" Sam asked the suspect softly as the cassette player records the interview. "Why do you hate me so much?"

"I saw you, picking up other blokes and women, I saw you going off with them to fuck. And you never came back to me."

Sam stared, open-mouthed. "I didn't…we picked each other up in a fuckin' nightclub! What…what did you expect?" he said incredulously.

"I won't have suspects thinking they can get away with threatening my officers." Gene answered, his expression dark.

Back by the car Gene sat heavily in the driver's seat, after a long day in CID and nodded slowly, then reached for the radio.

Meanwhile in Custody after the man's details processed through, typed up into the Police National Computer and a free cell later, "Fuckin' poofs! I'll fuckin' 'ave you!" He threw himself at the door as it swung shut, his threats and abuse still audible as the desk officers slammed shut the cell door.

Gene looked at her and shrugged. Phyllis didn't react – she'd heard it all before.

"He's still effin' and blinding. Calling us all poofs, sayin' he's innocent," Gene pushed one of the mugs toward Sam "No one's listenin', but luckily CCTV can record it all as evidence."

"Well everything suggests he's in with the Carter brothers. If we can link him in with the job they pulled a few months back, he'll be going down to prison anyway. No one'll care what he says then. We've just got to sort it out, and fast. Can't keep 'im here in Custody forever."

Sam had a nervous smile on his face, his legal ledger notebook with his testimony in his folder.

Gene could see the toll that the entire investigation had taken on Sam, and he was pleased to think by that afternoon it would all be over.

Gene gave Sam a pat on the back. "Ready to watch that suspect go down? Don't worry, he won't say anything. Bloody terrified, isn't he? Anyone finds out the real reason he hates your guts and he's going to get a very fuckin' warm welcome inside, 'ey? So unless he wants to be fucked into the middle of next week by a prison full of horny scrotes who're all after some fresh meat, he won't say a word."

"Fuckin' lyin' queer! Fuckin' wait, I'll get you back for this – I will!" the suspect threatened DC Sam Tyler in front of the courtroom until the judge asks for order.

Chris heard through the usual station gossip that the operation to tackle homophobia and hate crime was a success.

* * *

**This is based on a very young 28 year old Detective Constable Sam Tyler (from one of John Simm's earlier works) as Gene introduces anti homophobia and hate crime measures into the Greater Manchester Police CID to make life better for LGBT police officers as his first job as Detective Chief Inspector.**


End file.
